Director General of the State Police, Skënder Hita, has responded after the attack on Police Station No. 3 in Tirana, where 10 police officers were wounded. He described the incident as a severe and unprecedented attack, stressing that violence against institutions and the blue uniform cannot be justified as protest. According to Hita’s statement, the attack took place in the evening hours by groups of masked individuals who used Molotov cocktails, pyrotechnic materials, stones and hard objects against the police station building and police officers.
STATEMENT BY THE DIRECTOR GENERAL OF THE STATE POLICE, SENIOR OFFICIAL SKËNDER HITA
Dear citizens, In the evening hours, Police Station No. 3 in Tirana was the target of a severe and unprecedented attack by groups of masked individuals, who used Molotov cocktails, pyrotechnic materials, stones and hard objects against the police building and officers.
As a result of this attack, 10 police officers who were on duty, serving to protect and secure the station, were wounded. I want to emphasize that these officers had not been engaged in police actions during the previous days of protests. The attack created a serious risk not only to the lives and health of police officers, but also to the persons escorted who were inside the station premises.
I want to be very clear to everyone that an attack on a police station is not a protest. Striking police officers with Molotov cocktails and other dangerous means is serious violence, which is punishable by law and cannot be justified under any circumstances.
Today, too, other attacks against police officers have been recorded, using stones, pyrotechnic materials, metal spheres and Molotov cocktails, causing several other officers to be wounded. For six days, State Police officers have been facing repeated acts of violence, while continuing to carry out their duty to guarantee public order and safety.
Violence against police officers, attacks on institutions and the endangerment of people’s lives cannot be tolerated. The State Police is working to identify all persons involved in these attacks, to document their actions and to refer the evidence to the competent judicial authorities. Anyone for whom criminal responsibility is proven will face the consequences provided by law.
No one may use the constitutional right to protest as a shield to exercise violence, to attack police officers or to destroy public and private property. The right to peaceful protest is guaranteed and the State Police has a duty to protect it. But equally clear is our duty to intervene, in accordance with the law, against any action that endangers life, safety and public order. I have instructed all police structures to continue carrying out their duty with professionalism, self-restraint and determination, strictly respecting the law, standard procedures and the principle of proportionality.
The determination to stop violence must in every case be accompanied by respect for the law and the rights of citizens. I call on all persons involved in violent actions to stop them immediately. Any further attack against police officers, institutions or citizens’ property will receive the response provided by law. At the same time, I address all citizens, especially those who peacefully exercise the right to protest, to distance themselves from those who use violence and not to allow their actions to endanger the safety of others. The State Police is not an adversary of citizens. It is at their service. A climate of hostility should not and cannot be created between citizens and police officers. Trust and cooperation with the public are the foundation of our mission.
I express my full support to all police officers who, despite difficulties and risk, continue to carry out their duty with dedication. I wish a speedy recovery to the wounded colleagues and express gratitude for the professionalism and sacrifice of every police officer who is serving citizens today. In conclusion, I want to assure citizens that the State Police is and will remain at the forefront of duty. We will not retreat in the face of violence and will not allow attacks on institutions to undermine the fulfillment of our mission. We will act with determination, professionalism and responsibility, always within the limits of the law. The safety of citizens, the protection of life and the guarantee of public order are our duty and our non-negotiable responsibility. Thank you!