Key facts
- Tens of thousands of Albanians protested in Tirana for the 35th consecutive night.
- Protesters demanded the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama and constitutional reform.
- The demonstrations, known as 'the pink flamingo revolution,' initially focused on a luxury resort project linked to Jared Kushner.
- During the protest, demonstrators toppled a bust of Prime Minister Rama and carried cement 'birthday cakes'.
- A group of protesters later marched to a police station, broke windows, and were dispersed by a water cannon.
TIRANA, Albania (AP) — For the 35th night in a row, tens of thousands of Albanians took to the streets of the capital on Saturday, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama, temporary government replacement, constitutional reform, and an end to corruption. Media images depicted a large march along Tirana’s main boulevard towards Skanderbeg Square, though the exact number of participants could not be independently verified.
The nightly demonstrations, dubbed 'the pink flamingo revolution,' began in response to a luxury coastal resort development project in a protected natural area connected to Jared Kushner, U.S. President Donald Trump's son-in-law. The protests have since broadened into widespread anti-government and anti-corruption sentiment, with chants of “New Albania” and “Edi Rama, resign.”
The protest carried significant symbolism. A bust of Rama was erected and subsequently toppled with a rope, echoing the 1991 toppling of Enver Hoxha’s statue. Coinciding with Rama’s 62nd birthday, some protesters carried cement 'birthday cakes,' a nod to construction projects, and sang an ironic 'happy birthday' song. Pink flamingo balloons, referencing birds allegedly threatened by the resort construction, were also present.
Following approximately two hours of protest, a large contingent marched to a police station, demanding the release of individuals arrested during a prior protest near parliament. The situation escalated as protesters broke windows at the police station, prompting police to deploy a water cannon to disperse the crowd.