TIRANA, Dec 23 /ATA/ For nearly two hours, the opposition has been protesting, blocking the road traffic at five major intersections in Tirana.
The protest began at 5:00 PM and is expected to last nearly three hours, according to an announcement made by the Democratic Party. Members of the party’s leadership and MPs have blocked traffic at Zogu i Zi, the bridge near the mosque on Elbasan Street, Wilson Square, at the Shigjetat Apartment Block area, and near the City Hall of Tirana.
Initially, after the roadblocks, the first clashes were reported at the Shigjetat Apartment Block area. A woman pled with the protesters to let the traffic through, as she was taking her sick child to the hospital. The police intervened immediately, redirecting vehicles to alternative routes and temporarily resolving the situation.
Gazment Bardhi, the chairman of the Democratic Party Parliamentary Group, spoke from Wilson Square, where he and several other MPs had blocked the road, urging the police to respect the protest. “I will protest in the streets, not from the balcony of my house,” Bardhi declared. “As law enforcement officers, it is your duty to protect our right to protest. In fact, you should protest too,” Bardhi added.
From the start of the protest, the police have called for the roads to be opened, reminding protesters that blocking traffic is a criminal offense. “Clear the roads, it’s a criminal offense,” the police shouted at the protesters.
However, the protesters ignored the calls, and after more than 1 hour and 30 minutes of the demonstration, the police tried to clear the traffic. They faced resistance from the protesters, who physically confronted the police forces.
/sm/
