PS deputy Aulona Bylykbashi says the police response must be proportionate, and that the use of force against a protester cannot be justified once that person has been neutralized. “Once you have neutralized a protester, there is no reason to then strike them,” she said, calling on any officer who has exceeded their authority to face the accountability provided for by law.
Another point of discussion was the use of rubber bullets and footage of protesters injured during clashes. Bylykbashi described the way they were used as scandalous, raising questions about the proportionality of police interventions. “It is scandalous, because rubber bullets are not used this way,” she stated on ”Euronews Albania”.
Referring to Prime Minister Edi Rama’s comparison with other European countries regarding the number of injured officers, Bylykbashi argued that the analysis should not be limited to figures alone, but should also take into account how law enforcement forces react.
At the same time, she underlined that the police play an essential role in guaranteeing security and protecting public and private property, stressing that respect for the blue uniforms must be accompanied by accountability for every case of excessive use of force.