Tens of thousands of students took to the streets of Tirana in a violent anti-corruption protest over rising education costs, setting fires at the Ministry of Education and local banks. Authorities reported 16 arrests and dozens of injuries as demonstrations spread to universities in Elbasan and Shkodër.
Tens of thousands of students poured into central Tirana’s square and surrounding streets, setting alight a government building and two banks while hurling stones, flares, and Molotov cocktails at police. The unrest marks the most volatile phase of a 100-day siege against Edi Rama’s government.
Clashes at the Ministry of Education and City Hall
The violence began around 2:00 p.m. outside the Ministry of Education, where masked individuals threw concrete slabs and explosives at police officers and the building itself, damaging its walls and windows. Protesters later broke into Tirana City Hall on Ded Gjon Luli Street, smashing a door and starting a fire on the ground floor. Elsewhere, demonstrators smashed the entrance doors to the Speaker’s Office of Parliament and started another fire inside.
Police responded with water cannons and tear gas to disperse crowds that overturned bins, smashed business fronts, and set fire to a branch of Raiffeisen Bank near the education ministry. At least four commercial banks and several private businesses were damaged, vandalized, or looted during hours of unrest that brought central Tirana to a standstill.
Arrests, Injuries, and Official Reactions
Albanian authorities reported that 16 individuals—ranging in age from 23 to 59—had been arrested in connection with the violence, while another 49 face criminal proceedings. Hospitals treated six police officers and others for injuries.
Edi Rama addressed the protests in a video message recorded inside the damaged offices of the College of Europe in Tirana, urging dialogue while accusing political opponents of hijacking the demonstrations. Albana Koçiu, the deputy prime minister, called on honest citizens to distance themselves from vandalism, stating on Facebook that protesting is a legitimate right but cannot be used as an excuse for violence.
From Coastal Resort Disputes to National Unrest
The protests evolved from a summer of peaceful demonstrations triggered by proposed developments for a luxury resort along Albania’s southern coast on Sazan Island and within the Vjosa-Narta wetland ecosystem. The project, backed by Jared Kushner through investment firm Affinity Partners, sparked environmental opposition over the privatization of pristine reserves. In September, an OCCRP report revealed that Rama had backed a 2023 law relaxing environmental restrictions on protected areas before the project advanced, and that offshore shell companies concealed its ownership structure.
Student organizers of the movement, dubbed the Flamingo Revolution,
cited deteriorating university conditions, higher education costs, a lack of financial support, and poor employment prospects after graduation.
International Response and Spread Beyond the Capital
The European Union Delegation in Tirana expressed concern over the violent escalation and the destruction of public and private property, noting allegations of excessive violence by police against protesters and journalists while calling for a prompt investigation. The U.S. Embassy in Tirana also issued a security alert advising personnel and American citizens to avoid demonstrations near Skanderbeg Square. Meanwhile, Albanian media reported that the protests had spread to university campuses in Elbasan and Shkodër.