Protests spread this Friday from Tirana to several cities across the country, with particular focus on Lezhë, where the situation escalated into physical clashes with Police. Meanwhile, one of those arrested was placed under a jail security measure, while businesses in some areas reacted out of fear by pulling down their shutters.
Protests expanded to several cities
Lezhë, Shkodër, Burrel, Laç, Elbasan, Korçë and Vlorë were affected by protests from the early morning hours. In some of these cities, the gatherings entered their second day.
Young people, including high school pupils and university students, boycotted classes and took to the streets. Their participation has turned the protest into a development with political and social weight, beyond the routine responses of institutions.
In Lezhë there were clashes and a Police withdrawal
In Lezhë, the strongest tensions of the day were reported. Protesters and Police officers clashed physically, while stones were thrown toward a high school.
Later, according to the official version, Police were ordered to withdraw to avoid escalation with the young people. This move indicates that the situation had gone beyond the usual control of police management of public gatherings.
Tirana was expecting another gathering
In the capital, another protest had been announced for 10:00, but up to that point no gathering of protesters had been reported. During the previous three days, the protest in Tirana had started from the Ministry of Education.
It remains to be seen whether the protest in the capital will take on the same intensity as in some other districts, where the situation has been more heated and the Police response more visible.
One jail measure and Rama’s visit to damaged businesses
The day’s developments were also accompanied by a court decision: one of those arrested was given a jail security measure. So far, no further details have been made public about the full circumstances of this decision.
In Tirana, Prime Minister Edi Rama went near several private businesses damaged by flames the previous night. He said that “this fire is not that of the students” and that “we will get through this trial together as well,” a political formulation that seeks to separate the protesters from violent acts, but which remains part of the government’s official narrative.
Amid clashes on the ground, security measures and political reactions, the day of protest highlighted not only the anger of young people, but also the difficulty institutions are having in managing the situation without tension.
The focus remains on developments in the cities where the gatherings are continuing, and on how the state is responding — from Police to the justice system — to a wave of discontent that is not subsiding easily.