Brief
Albanian police fire rubber bullets as protests against Rama intensify
Rubber bullets were deployed for the first time as protests over education costs and corruption entered a fifth day in Tirana.
By Felo News Desk · Published
Police in Albania's capital, Tirana, fired rubber bullets on Saturday, marking the first use of such ammunition since the anti‑government protests began five days earlier, according to Al Jazeera. The clashes involved high‑school and university students demanding Prime Minister Edi Rama's resignation, alongside broader grievances over education fees, unemployment and alleged corruption.
Demonstrators threw stones, petrol bombs and fireworks near the prime minister’s office and the Ministry of Education, setting cars, rubbish bins and a suitcase ablaze. Police responded with tear gas, water cannon, baton charges and, for the first time, rubber bullets, which national police chief Skender Hita said were deployed "in a limited manner" at a news conference.
The Ministry of Health and Social Welfare reported that nine protesters and four officers received medical treatment. Hita announced that 167 people had been arrested over the five‑day unrest and that 132 officers were injured. Seven officers were suspended pending investigations into alleged excesses of authority.
Prime Minister Rama, serving his fourth term and refusing to step down, visited damaged businesses on Saturday, pledged to listen to students and protect their right to demonstrate, while accusing conservative opponents of stoking the violence.
Students cited high university fees, poor facilities and limited job prospects as drivers of the protest. Journalism student Sinan Billa told AFP, "We are demanding our rights, our future and a better country." The unrest also spread to the coastal city of Durrës, where protesters damaged a post office and erected burning barricades.
Key facts
- Police used rubber bullets for the first time since the protests began (aljazeera.com)
- 167 people were arrested over five days of unrest (aljazeera.com)
- 132 police officers were reported injured (aljazeera.com)
- Prime Minister Edi Rama visited damaged businesses and promised to listen to students (aljazeera.com)
- Protesters cited high university fees, poor facilities and unemployment as grievances (aljazeera.com)
Sources
- [1] aljazeera.com — originally reported as “Albanian police fire rubber bullets as protests against Rama escalate”
