Violent clashes erupt in Tirana as student protests intensify
On Oct 17, police and riot units confronted student demonstrators in central Tirana, deploying water cannons, tear gas and rubber bullets as protesters hurled rocks and petrol bombs and called for Prime Minister Edi Rama to step down. The protests began on Oct 12 when students threw bricks at the Education Ministry and set parts of the building on fire, prompting arrests and the use of tear gas and water cannons, according to Al Jazeera. Prime Minister Rama rejected calls to resign and, citing Euronews, blamed unnamed foreign actors for fueling the unrest.
By the fifth day, Reuters reported that police fired rubber bullets, leading to dozens of arrests and the suspension of several officers. The demonstrations also spread to other cities, causing property damage and injuries, as reported by the BBC, and on Oct 16 a 25-year-old MP, Marjana Koceku, joined the protests, according to Reuters.
