TIRANA, Oct 14 /ATA/ Although they had announced plans to protest this afternoon, students marched from different directions before gathering outside the Ministry of Education.
Students from several faculties across Tirana boycotted classes today and have since assembled outside the ministry. Meanwhile, masked youths uprooted metal railings along the sidewalk on Durrës Street and threw stones at the Ministry of Education building.
“We don’t want to leave; we want to fight for our country. We are calling for everyone to step down because they are offering us nothing,” one student said.
“Two months of peaceful protests fell on deaf ears, so a more forceful approach will draw the government’s attention,” another student said.
The students who boycotted classes are from the University of Medicine, the Agricultural University of Tirana (UBT), the Polytechnic University, the Faculty of Law, the Faculty of Economics, and the Faculty of Philology.
Police have taken up positions inside the courtyard of the Ministry of Education.
Later, during the protest, some of the young demonstrators set fire to advertising signs and several rubbish bins.
The Rapid Intervention Forces stepped in to disperse the protesters, who responded by throwing stones. The unit used water cannons to push back the demonstrators and extinguish fires in rubbish bins along the street.
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