Albania protests escalate: Police fire rubber bullets as students join wave of anti-Rama demonstrations

Albanian police fired rubber bullets at anti-government protesters in the capital Tirana as violent clashes escalated over demands for Prime Minister Edi Rama to resign. According to AFP, it was the first time security forces had used rubber bullets since the protests began.

Clashes continued on Saturday, marking a fifth consecutive day of unrest after high school and university students joined a broader movement against Rama, who has led the governing centre-left Socialist Party since 2013.

Long-simmering grievances over education, unemployment and corruption allegations have turned into sharp confrontation with the government. Protesters threw stones, petrol bombs and fireworks at police near the prime minister's office and in several central areas of Tirana. Some set fire to cars and rubbish bins, building burning barricades on the streets.

Security forces responded with tear gas, water cannon and baton charges as crowds pressed against security barriers. National police chief Skender Hita confirmed the use of rubber bullets at a press conference on Saturday, saying they were deployed "in a limited way".

According to the Ministry of Health and Social Welfare, nine protesters and four police officers received medical treatment on Saturday. Hita said 167 people had been arrested over the five days of unrest, while 132 officers were injured. Seven police officers were also suspended pending investigation into allegations of excessive force.

Prime Minister Rama, now in his fourth term and who has refused to resign, on Saturday visited businesses damaged in the unrest. He pledged to listen to students and protect their right to protest, while warning against further vandalism. He also accused conservative political opponents of encouraging violence.

Grievances mount

Students complain about costly university tuition, dilapidated educational facilities and limited job opportunities, alongside allegations of corruption in government. At the start of Saturday's protest, demonstrators burned a suitcase and threw it into the courtyard of the Ministry of Education. According to AFP, the act symbolised their determination not to leave Albania in search of better opportunities.

"We are demanding our rights, our future and a better country," journalism student Sinan Billa told AFP.

The student protests follow months of anti-government marches organised by the Flamingo movement. The movement began as a campaign against a luxury tourism project on Albania's southern coast linked to an investment firm founded by Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump. It has since expanded its demands to include Rama's resignation over corruption allegations against his government.

The unrest has also spread beyond Tirana. Local media reported that protesters in the coastal city of Durres damaged a post office and blocked roads with burning barricades, extending the confrontations beyond the capital.