Violent demonstrations have shaken Tirana since Tuesday, with thousands of protesters demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Rama, gathering against university conditions and high tuition fees. This marks the fifth consecutive day of unrest in the Albanian capital, signaling a significant escalation of the situation.
On Saturday, protesters threw stones, Molotov cocktails, metal objects and pyrotechnic devices at police, and set fire to cars and rubbish bins, using them as burning barricades to halt the advance of law enforcement forces. In a sign of escalating violence, police used rubber bullets against demonstrators for the first time since the protests began, AFP journalists on the ground witnessed. Protests continued into the late hours of the night, with buildings – including a courthouse, banks and a post office – set on fire or badly damaged. Ambulances were seen rushing to pick up the injured as the protest entered its tenth hour.
The Ministry of Health told AFP that 35 people were injured on Saturday, of whom 18 were police officers and 17 protesters. Officers also used water cannons, pepper spray and tear gas against the crowd, leaving the streets of Tirana covered in thick smoke. Paula, who along with other young people set up a makeshift first-aid point in a law office, told AFP that three people had been treated for injuries to the head, eyes and legs, allegedly from rubber bullets. Albanian law allows police to use rubber bullets during protests only in extreme cases. Sports student Redi Taku told AFP that this action was indeed extreme,
Source: France 24 Live News