Tension remains high in Tirana after six hours of violent clashes on Saturday, as thousands of students reject Prime Minister Edi Rama’s calls for dialogue and continue to demand his resignation. The students called a new gathering outside the Ministry of Education at 2pm local time on Sunday and appear to be distancing themselves from Saturday’s rally organised by Sali Berisha’s Democratic Party. One of their slogans was “Rama to jail, Berisha to jail”.
Fires, petrol bombs and plastic bullets
The unrest in the centre of the Albanian capital included fires at the infrastructure and environment ministries, Molotov cocktails thrown at Tirana City Hall and the offices of the Socialist Party, and a fire in the grounds of the Catholic Archdiocese. In the main square, protesters fired fireworks for hours at large police forces, which responded with water cannon, tear gas and plastic bullets. A 28-year-old protester was hit in the eye by a plastic bullet. Bleeding and in severe pain, he was taken to hospital by journalists in their television station’s van, and although he underwent surgery, he appears to have lost the sight in his left eye. A police officer has been suspended after appearing in a video furiously beating a protester lying unconscious on the ground. According to the Ministry of Health, 13 people were injured, including protesters, police officers and journalists. Police detained 35 people, 22 of whom were arrested. Business owners have voiced concern about the impact on economic activity, and trade fairs and cultural events are being cancelled until the end of October.
Source: CNA
