After intense episodes of clashes between protesters and police, central Tirana has entered a fragile calm. But following the groups’ immediate withdrawal, it remains unclear whether police have lost control over their movements or whether the protesters have shifted to areas where intervention is more difficult.
Clashes and rapid dispersal
According to information reported from the scene, tensions flared after protesters attacked the Court of Appeal, after which police began taking people in for questioning.
Following this intervention, the groups of protesters dispersed quickly, making it unclear where they moved and how much real control police had over the situation.
Unusual calm in the center
In the hours after the clashes, a situation has emerged in Tirana that at first glance appears calmer, but not necessarily stabilized.
The reported version suggests that law enforcement forces are not managing to locate the groups of violent protesters, raising questions about on-the-ground management after the initial intervention.
Suspicions of a move to protected areas
One of the possibilities raised is that the protesters may have moved to areas considered more protected, where police movement and intervention become more complicated.
At this stage, there is still no full public clarification on the whereabouts of the groups that took part in the clashes, while the dynamics on the ground remain unclear.
A small group near Rinia Park
At present, a small group of protesters is in front of Rinia Park.
Their presence shows that, although the main clashes have for the moment subsided, the movement has not completely dissolved.
The situation in the capital appears calmer than during the earlier clashes, but it is not over.
The lack of a clear picture of the protesters’ movements keeps open the question of whether this is a temporary withdrawal or a failure by police to keep the groups under control on the ground.