Buildings set ablaze, windows smashed in violent Albanian protests

Tirana, Albania witnessed tense confrontations between demonstrators and riot police on Wednesday, marking the second consecutive day of violence. This outbreak of aggression was sparked by student protests demanding improved university conditions and Prime Minister Edi Rama's resignation.

In the ensuing hours, the police deployed water cannons and tear gas to disperse hundreds of protesters, while the demonstrators retaliated by targeting government buildings and shops. The violent outbursts included smashing windows, setting fires, throwing paving stones, petrol bombs, and erecting barricades using street fencing.

Riot police faced a relentless crowd that showed little inclination to disperse. Demonstrators hurled objects at police, including stones, blunt objects, firecrackers, and Molotov cocktails. At one point, two individuals breached the education ministry wall and tossed flares into the building, causing a significant blaze.

Firefighters swiftly extinguished the flames, but tensions remained high as darkness approached. Police had earlier appealed for calm, yet the crowd persisted in breaking through the doors of the municipality building, igniting a fire and causing damage to several structures.

The European Union expressed concern over the escalating violence during the protest in Tirana, citing allegations of excessive police force against protesters and journalists. The EU delegation in Tirana called for a prompt investigation and urged all parties to de-escalate the situation. Anti-government protests have been ongoing for over four months, initially ignited by a luxury tourism project linked to members of the US President Donald Trump's family.