Key facts
- Police fired rubber bullets at protesters on Saturday.
- Two Reuters journalists and several protesters were injured.
- Seven police officers have been suspended for exceeding authority.
- 1,067 people have been arrested and 388 criminally prosecuted.
- Protesters cite corruption, lack of jobs, and poor education standards as grievances.
Police in Albania fired what appeared to be rubber bullets at protesters on Saturday, the fifth day of mass student demonstrations demanding Prime Minister Edi Rama step down. Reuters video footage showed police firing a shotgun towards crowds outside the education ministry during clashes. Reuters reporters found rubber pellets on the ground and pellets hit two Reuters journalists and several protesters. The incident marks an escalation in confrontations that have engulfed central Tirana. Demonstrators have burned government buildings and banks and hurled rocks at police, who have responded with tear gas and water cannon. Police chief Skender Hita confirmed the use of "limited" means, including rubber bullets, and announced the suspension of seven officers for exceeding their authority. The demonstrations are fueled by anger over perceived government corruption, a lack of jobs, and poor education standards. Rama's administration has faced corruption scandals, and Albania aims to join the European Union by 2030.