Tensions shifted toward the Prime Minister’s Office after a protest that began without major incidents but later deteriorated into clashes between protesters, citizens and police. Reports from the scene said stones were thrown, trash bins were set on fire, and law enforcement forces intervened.
The protest began calmly, with students at the front
The Democratic Party’s third national protest in support of students initially began peacefully. In this appearance, MPs kept a lower profile, while young members of the forum were placed at the head of the march.
The calm of the first hours, however, proved fragile. The dynamics on the ground changed as soon as citizens appeared at the protest who opposed the presence and role of the Democrats in the gathering.
Verbal and physical clashes near the student protest
One citizen provoked PD supporters with chants of “Berisha in prison,” creating immediate tension among those taking part. Later, a banner carrying the message “Rama in prison, Berisha in prison” also made clear the rejection by some of those present of party involvement in the student protest outside the Ministry of Education.
In another episode, a citizen who did not appear to be a student asked the Democrats to stay away from the student protest. The reaction from opposition supporters was harsh and, according to footage and reporting from the scene, he was forcibly removed.
Although they were not positioned on the front line, Democratic MPs did not withdraw from the protest area. They remained at the back of the gathering, following from a distance the tensions between their supporters and citizens who opposed their presence.
The situation escalated with fire and tear gas
At around 3:40 p.m., the protest took a more dangerous turn. Two trash bins were engulfed in flames, while police responded with spray and tear gas to disperse the crowd and curb the escalation.
Tensions then shifted toward the Prime Minister’s Office, where stones were reported thrown at the building. Water tankers also intervened at the scene, in another sign that the protest had moved beyond its initial control.
A protest between the students’ cause and political confrontation
The day’s events once again highlighted the clash between the students’ cause and the efforts of political parties to position themselves around it. The presence of the Democrats was openly opposed by some participants, turning the protest not only into a confrontation with police, but also into an internal conflict over who represented it.
The version of events from the ground indicates that the escalation did not come immediately, but after several successive episodes of provocations, counterreactions and intervention by law enforcement forces.
The full toll of the incidents and the responsibilities remain unclear, while footage from the protest once again raises questions about the management of gatherings, the boundary between political mobilization and civic causes, and the proportionality of the police response.