Tirana experienced one of the most serious episodes of urban violence in recent years, with prolonged clashes between protesters and police, fires near institutions and extensive damage to public and private buildings. The preliminary toll points to dozens of arrests, while the official version confirms the use of water cannons and tear gas to disperse the crowd.
The protest spread across several points of the capital
The clashes began at the Ministry of Education, where the building was hit with stones and flames. In the area, young people with covered faces were seen tearing out railings from the sidewalk and piling them up in front of the institution, while tensions later continued on Durrës Street as well.
The protesters then moved from one area to another, turning the center of the capital into a map of flashpoints. At several points, police intervened to push them back by force, while numerous arrests were also reported.
Institutions hit, entrances damaged and premises engulfed in flames
One of the hardest-hit locations was the Ministry of Economy, where protesters entered the first floor, tore out doors, smashed windows and removed furniture from the premises. There were also attacks on the Ministry of Interior, where the building was damaged and windows were broken.
The crowd then moved toward the “Dëshmorët e Kombit” Boulevard, where buildings along the main axis were attacked. Damage was also reported at the Ministry of Justice, where windows were broken and the first floor was engulfed in flames.
Tensions also reached the Prime Minister’s Office, where trees at the side entrance were burned, as well as the building housing the Assembly Presidency and the Constitutional Court. According to reports from the scene, protesters attempted to enter the building.
Banks, businesses and public spaces targeted
The violence was not limited to institutions. Several private businesses were damaged, while at least one second-tier private bank was burned and destroyed. Another bank was also attacked in the area of the Pyramid of Tirana.
In Skanderbeg Square, protesters set fire to benches and garbage bins. Considerable damage was also reported at the Pyramid, where windows were broken and parts of the premises were burned.
Attacks were also reported on businesses on the ground floor of the buildings known as the “Twin Towers,” as well as on the shopping center near Tirana Castle, where windows were smashed.
Clashes with police and the night’s toll
Police intervened at several of the hottest flashpoints with water cannon trucks and tear gas. According to the official version, these means were used to disperse protesters and regain control in areas where the situation had spiraled out of control.
There were also tensions near Police Station No. 2, where a police vehicle was burned and two officers were injured. Further damage was reported on Elbasan Street and at Zogu i Zi, where barriers and road signage were destroyed.
Around 22:00, the protest dispersed. It remains one of the most serious events of this kind in Tirana, with extensive material consequences and serious questions over the management of public order in the capital.
Images from several areas of the city showed a high level of damage, from state buildings to public spaces and private businesses.
Beyond the initial toll, the event brings back to the center of debate the way high-risk protests are managed and how prepared the state is to prevent their escalation.