Tirana Rally Escalates as Albanian Police Deploy Water Cannon and Tear Gas

Albanian police used water cannon, tear gas, and rubber bullets to clear Tirana's streets on Saturday after a rally against the government turned violent.

The violence followed a week of escalating tension. Protests over school conditions and the cost of living began in mid-October, and clashes between demonstrators and police have occurred repeatedly since then. While gatherings in the capital had calmed in the days leading up to Saturday, organizers issued calls for students and citizens from across Albania to attend. University professors, artists, and opposition parties subsequently announced plans to participate. Local media reported that police conducted vehicle checks on roads entering the city and increased security around the capital.

During Saturday's event, authorities arrested dozens of demonstrators and reported that more than 300 protesters and officers sustained injuries. The Ministry of Education became a focal point of the unrest; demonstrators hurled stones at the structure and rolled burning refuse bins toward the entrance. Protesters also set fire to red cushions that had been placed outside the government headquarters as a symbolic invitation for dialogue with Prime Minister Edi Rama.

The current unrest has been building since May, when news emerged regarding a luxury hotel project linked to the family of United States President Donald Trump. Since that time, the movement has expanded to include demands for Rama's resignation and a campaign against corruption. Demonstrators have assigned responsibility for the crisis to the entire political class, and some participants carried signs criticizing centre-right opposition leader Sali Berisha.

Rama has attributed the violence to foreign actors, specifically naming Russia and Iran as sources of online misinformation. He has also called for dialogue with the opposition.

Police reported that several government buildings were attacked during the incident.