TIRANA, October 13 /ATA/ – The protest by students and citizens in front of the Ministry of Education escalated during the evening hours as protesters smashed windows and entered the premises of at least two businesses on Durrës Street.
Protesters clashed with police before targeting a private financial institution and a clothing store, shattering windows with stones and hard objects. Footage captured by ATA shows demonstrators entering the financial institution, tossing its furniture and contents into the street, and setting the pile on fire.
The protest, joined by both students and citizens, began at 2:00 PM. From the very start, some students threw stones and blunt objects, targeting the Ministry of Education before turning on the police. Despite police intervention, the demonstration continued into the evening. As the situation unfolded, protesters set fire to cardboard, trash bins, and street advertisements, and tore down roadside railings. The crowd then moved from Durrësi Street toward Tirana City Hall, where they pelted the building with stones and forced open the entrance. Police intervened immediately to disperse the crowd and detained several individuals.
Police used tear gas to break up a student protest, leading to the detention of 23 demonstrators. The incident left six security officers and one journalist injured. Additionally, three protesters sought emergency medical care at QSUNT for gas exposure; two were released after treatment, while one remains hospitalized for observation. /k.s/a.f/r.e/p.s./
