As per reports, student-led anti-government protests turned violent in central Tirana on Saturday (24 October), with demonstrators clashing with police and damaging government and commercial properties.
• Protesters gathered outside the Ministry of Education at approximately 1400 hours local time (1200 hours UTC), demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama amid grievances over perceived government corruption, unemployment and education standards.
• Demonstrators threw rocks and stones at police personnel, prompting riot police to deploy tear gas, water cannons and rubber bullets to disperse the gathering.
• Protesters also started a fire at the entrance of the Ministry of Agriculture, while police subsequently pushed demonstrators away from the initial gathering area, resulting in groups dispersing to several locations across the city.
• The latest unrest follows a series of student-led demonstrations that have affected central Tirana and spread to other Albanian cities during October.
• Previous demonstrations linked to the ongoing unrest have involved fires at government buildings and banks, damage to shopfronts and protesters removing paving stones to use as projectiles against police.
Categories: Civil Disturbances - Non-political Protests
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