After the clashes outside Parliament, the protest did not end with the dispersal of the crowd at the first moment. Some of the demonstrators moved to Skanderbeg Square, where amid debate over the next steps, some decided to march toward Police Station No. 1 to demand the release of those escorted by police.
From the clash outside Parliament to regrouping in the center
The protest began outside the Parliament building, where the situation grew tense between demonstrators and police forces. According to the version reported from the scene, some participants tried to approach Parliament, but were blocked by the police cordon set up in the area.
During the clashes, eggs were thrown at officers, while police at several moments used spray with irritant substances. In this climate of tension, deputies entered and exited Parliament without being obstructed.
Debate among demonstrators over how to continue the rally
After leaving the Parliament area, the demonstrators gathered in Skanderbeg Square to decide how to continue the action. In central Tirana, there were discussions and differing positions over the next steps.
Some wanted the crowd to go immediately to Police Station No. 1, where those escorted by police during the day were being held. Others proposed returning at 19:00, in line with the usual form of the protest.
March toward Police Station No. 1
In the end, some of the demonstrators set off toward Police Station No. 1. Their aim was to demand the release of the people escorted by police during the developments of the protest.
Among those escorted by police was organizer Arben Kola, along with several other demonstrators. Up to this stage, the participants’ attention shifted from the political grounds of Parliament to police premises.
A protest that once again highlighted citizen-police confrontation
The day’s developments once again showed that the management of protests in the capital continues to be accompanied by tension and restrictive measures by the police. The use of irritant spray and the escorting of demonstrators is expected to raise questions about the proportionality of the intervention.
In Skanderbeg Square, the gathering continued even after the first episodes of confrontation, while it remained unclear whether the protest would return again near Parliament.
The day’s events ended with a protest fragmented on the ground, but not extinguished in purpose. From Parliament to the square and then to the police station, the focus of the demonstrators shifted from the confrontation with the police cordon to the demand for the release of those escorted by police.