The student protest in Tirana entered its sixth day with a march that began near the Ministry of Education and later turned into clashes with police. Amid political chants and the movement of the crowd toward the city center, there were injuries, interventions by law enforcement forces and people being taken to police stations.
The gathering began at the Ministry of Education
Citizens and students gathered again this Sunday near the Ministry of Education, where young people were seen both with and without masks, carrying national flags and chanting for the prime minister’s resignation.
In the early hours, the protest also had moments without tension, when some young people danced and sang in the middle of the road in front of police officers. The atmosphere changed a little later, when the crowd began to move and the situation became more unstable.
A symbolic act before the escalation
One of the protesters called on both those taking part in the gathering and the police to avoid violence. Immediately afterward, he tore up the certificate that, according to the reporting, had been given to him by former Education Minister Besa Shahini as the winner of the History Olympiad.
The gesture was presented as a sign of revolt, in a protest that day by day is taking on a stronger political charge and going beyond typical student demands.
Stones thrown at police, journalist taken away by ambulance
After a period of calm, tensions began and stones were thrown toward police forces stationed near the Ministry of Education.
A journalist was injured in the clashes and was taken from the area by ambulance. According to the version given by police on the ground, the protesters were then pushed toward the center, while several people were taken to police stations.
Stone attack also on Socialist Party headquarters
The demonstrators later stopped in front of the Socialist Party headquarters, where they struck the building with stones. The attack hit the door area and windows of the building were broken.
The developments show that the protest is entering a harsher phase, with public order affected and an injury toll that, at least up to this stage, remains unclear at the official level.
What began as a gathering in front of the Ministry of Education ended in clashes at several points in Tirana, once again highlighting the cost of the lack of de-escalation by the sides on the ground.
Amid political chants, the movement of the crowd and the police response, the sixth day of the protest left behind a tense situation in the capital.