Tirana unrest: Over 300 injured as police fire on protesters

Protesters took to the streets of Tirana on Saturday following a mid-October surge in public discontent regarding school conditions and the high cost of living in the Balkan nation. Tensions escalated rapidly when an antigovernment rally turned violent, prompting police to fire tear gas and deploy water cannons to disperse the crowds.

Albanian authorities confirmed that more than 300 people were injured during the clashes. The count includes both demonstrators and police officers, while dozens of protesters were taken into custody. Several government buildings sustained damage after being attacked by parts of the crowd.

The Ministry of Education has remained a central target for the demonstrations. On Saturday, some individuals in the crowd threw stones at the ministry building. Others rolled burning dustbins toward the structure, intensifying the confrontation at the site.

Police also utilized rubber bullets during the dispersal of the crowd. Local media reports indicated that security forces stepped up their presence in the capital earlier in the day. Officers conducted checks on vehicles entering the city, aiming to tighten control over the gathering.

Organizers urged students and residents from across Albania to attend the rally. Thousands responded to the call, joining a coalition that included university professors, artists, and opposition parties. This marked a widening of the protest movement beyond its initial student base.

Prime Minister Edi Rama, a Socialist, has faced growing pressure to resign. The current unrest builds on intermittent antigovernment protests that began in May. Those earlier demonstrations started after news emerged of a luxury hotel project linked to the family of US President Donald Trump.

Rama has attributed the violence to foreign actors, specifically accusing Russia and Iran of driving online misinformation. He has also called for dialogue with the protesters. On Saturday, red cushions were placed outside the government headquarters as a symbolic gesture to invite talks. Demonstrators later set the cushions on fire.

The political class faces broad blame for the crisis, with demonstrators criticizing the entire establishment. Some in the crowd carried signs targeting Rama’s centre-right rival, Sali Berisha. This indicates that the anger extends beyond the current administration to the opposition as well.