Police and student protesters clash in Tirana for fifth day

Riot police in Albania's capital Tirana have deployed tear gas and water cannons against crowds gathered outside the Ministry of Education. BBC News reported that the clashes occurred on the fifth day of student-led demonstrations in the city. Protesters threw molotov cocktails toward police lines as officers moved in to disperse the crowds. [1][2]

Demonstrators gathered outside the Ministry of Education to protest against poor education facilities, rising living costs, and alleged government corruption. According to BBC News, the protesters have called for Prime Minister Edi Rama to resign. [1]

The latest unrest follows earlier demonstrations in the capital. As FTMQ News reported earlier, tens of thousands of students previously demonstrated in Tirana over education costs, where protesters threw bricks and stones at the ministry and set fire to a government building and two banks, leading police to arrest 16 people. [10]

The student demonstrations follow broader social unrest in the country. Protests originally began in February 2026 over resort developments and land ownership issues before expanding across Albania. [8]