Key facts
- Riot police used tear gas, water cannons, and rubber bullets against protesters in Tirana.
Albanian police use tear gas, water cannons against protesters
IN SHORT
Albanian riot police deployed tear gas, water cannons, and rubber bullets on Saturday to disperse protesters in Tirana who threw rocks and set a fire at the agriculture ministry. The student-led demonstrations, fueled by anger over perceived government corruption and poor education standards, have escalated this month, with protesters demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.
Who's Involved
Albanian riot police
used tear gas, water cannons and rubber bullets to disperse protesters
protesters
threw rocks at officers and started a fire at the door of the agriculture ministry
Prime Minister Edi Rama
governed since 2013 and won a fourth term in office last year
Daniel Tahiri
a 28-year-old protester who described the government as a 'dictatorship with the clothes of democracy'
Orgeta Likaj
a 29-year-old protester who said people wanted Rama to know that Albanians no longer want him because of corruption and scandals
Jared Kushner
US President Donald Trump's son-in-law backing a luxury coastal development
↳ Why This Matters
The ongoing protests and violent clashes challenge Prime Minister Edi Rama's government, which has been in power since 2013, amid public anger over corruption and living standards.