Tirana Protests Enter Third Day as Clashes Continue

Protests in Tirana entered a third consecutive day on Thursday, October 15, as students and other demonstrators clashed with police outside Albania’s Education Ministry and called for Prime Minister Edi Rama to resign. Police used tear gas and water cannons after demonstrators threw rocks at a police cordon, and several protesters were detained, according to reports from the scene. The latest clashes followed a larger outbreak of violence on Wednesday, when demonstrators attacked government buildings, banks and businesses in the capital. The Health Ministry reported that 89 people were injured that day, including 61 police officers. Those figures refer to Wednesday; earlier reports gave different totals for Tuesday and other reporting periods. Student organizers have said their demands include better university conditions, lower higher-education costs, financial support and improved job prospects after graduation. Their demonstrations have merged with a broader anti-government campaign calling for Rama’s resignation and opposing a proposed luxury tourism development on Albania’s southern coast linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump.