Tirana saw another wave of tensions as the protest escalated again after several hours of calm in front of the Prime Minister’s Office. In a development that raises questions about crowd management, police vehicles were seen following protesters through the streets during their march after leaving the square.
The temporary calm was broken again
After several hours without reported incidents in front of the Prime Minister’s Office building, the situation changed again and the protest entered a new phase of escalation.
The movement of protesters outside the square was accompanied by tension, shifting the confrontation from the area in front of the institution to the capital’s road arteries.
Police vehicles in pursuit of protesters
During the march, several police vans and cars followed the protesters through the streets.
The footage and dynamics reported from the scene once again put the spotlight on how police are handling the protest outside the initial perimeter of the gathering.
Clashes near the Prime Minister’s Office
Earlier, protesters threw stones and Molotov cocktails toward the Prime Minister’s Office building.
In response, according to the official version of events, police reacted with tear gas, water and rubber bullets.
High tension and questions over proportionality
The escalation of the situation shows that tensions on the ground remained high even after the temporary pause in incidents.
The pursuit of protesters by police vehicles and the earlier use of force near the Prime Minister’s Office are expected to fuel debate over the proportionality of the intervention and responsibility for the worsening of the situation.
At this stage, the picture remains that of a protest that has spun out of control, with serious clashes between protesters and police at several points during its course.
It remains to be seen whether institutions will provide fuller explanations for the operational decisions taken on the ground during these episodes of tension.