A protest launched by students in Lezhë escalated into violence and clashes with police, with a preliminary toll of three injured and damage to several school and public buildings. According to the official version, those injured include two police officers and one female student.
The gathering began near the high school and moved toward City Hall
The protest began at around 8:30 a.m. near the “Hydajet Lezha” high school, where a group of students gathered to protest in the city.
The protesters then first headed to the Lezhë Municipality building, but were unable to pass the police cordon set up near the institution.
The march was accompanied by damage on the streets and to school buildings
As they moved through the city, side railings along the roads and several road signs were damaged.
According to reports from the scene, the windows of the “Hydajet Lezha” high school, the “Kolin Gjoka” vocational school and a non-public high school were also broken.
The Lezhë Police Station building was also hit with stones, further deepening tensions during the march.
The clash with police left two officers and one female student injured
The march continued toward the Shkodra roundabout, where protesters burned several pieces of cardboard, before returning again near City Hall.
In the second attempt to approach the building, the situation turned into direct clashes with police. According to the official version, police officers were hit with stones and hard objects.
As a result, two police officers were injured and taken to Lezhë Hospital. During the same tensions, a female student was injured in the head by stones thrown in the direction of the police.
Tensions, police escorts and questions over management of the situation
The three injured people are receiving medical assistance at Lezhë Hospital and, according to publicly released information, are out of danger for their lives.
The incident was also accompanied by further tensions on the ground and the police escorting of several high school students.
At this stage, several essential questions remain unanswered regarding the management of the protest, the level of police intervention and the measures taken to prevent escalation near schools and public institutions.
The footage and information available so far show a situation that quickly got out of control in the center of Lezhë, with consequences for both the students and law enforcement forces.
The incident is expected to fuel debate over how the protest was handled and over responsibility for the damage and the injuries.