A protest announced in support of students ended in tensions outside the Ministry of Education after supporters of the Democratic Party, who had earlier marched from the Prime Minister’s Office, also arrived in the area. Following physical clashes among participants, the situation escalated into trash bins being set on fire, stones being thrown at police, and intervention by law enforcement using water, spray and tear gas.
Two gatherings in Tirana and protesters approaching the Ministry
Tirana saw two separate gatherings during the day. The Democratic Party gathered its supporters at midday in front of the Prime Minister’s Office, stating that the protest was being held in support of the students’ cause, while the student gathering had been announced for 14:00 outside the Ministry of Education.
After gathering at the Prime Minister’s Office, opposition supporters marched toward the Ministry of Education. Several opposition MPs were reportedly at the front of the march, while Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha was not present.
Incidents began at the opposition protest itself
There was tension even before the march toward the Ministry of Education. During the gathering at the Prime Minister’s Office, a protester who shouted “Rama n’burg, Berisha n’burg” clashed with other participants and was forcibly removed from the protest site.
Later, the same slogan was also seen outside the Ministry of Education, where a banner bearing the abbreviation “RnB BnB” had been placed, while other political chants were also heard at the gathering.
Physical clashes among participants
Tensions rose when supporters of the Democratic Party tried to approach the student protest. Physical clashes were recorded there among participants, highlighting that not everyone present accepted the merging of the two gatherings.
The situation later calmed temporarily and the groups remained separate from one another, but the atmosphere around the Ministry of Education remained tense.
Trash bins set on fire and police intervene with force
At around 15:40, protesters set fire to two trash bins. Stones being thrown at police were then also reported, while officers responded in an attempt to disperse the crowd.
According to the version reported from the scene, police used water, spray and tear gas to contain the escalation. Images of the tensions outside the Ministry of Education shifted the focus of the protest from the students’ demands to the political clash and the management of order on the ground.
The incident left behind a chaotic scene, in which the student protest became intertwined with the presence of party structures and with police intervention.
It remains to be seen whether there will be official clarifications on how the mixing of the two gatherings was allowed and on the response of law enforcement during the tensions.