Protesters set fire to the chamber’s building on Wednesday and damaged other businesses and private property in the area.

Speaking at a news conference, Jaka said protests were a way for citizens to express their grievances but questioned whether violence was an appropriate means of achieving their goals.

“Protest may be the only voice citizens have, but whether this is the way to achieve that goal remains to be seen. The destruction of private property constitutes a criminal offence,” Jaka said.

The damage caused during the demonstrations has renewed concerns about the impact of violence on businesses, economic activity and the security of private property.

The Tirana Chamber of Commerce and Industry stressed the importance of exercising the right to protest peacefully, without damaging private property or disrupting business operations.

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The protest, which began at 11 a.m., saw students and other demonstrators clash repeatedly with police. Masked protesters damaged streetlights and attacked a commercial bank, breaking its windows.

Demonstrators later set fire to a building housing offices of a banking institution, while others threw stones and smashed windows at nearby businesses. The blaze engulfed the entire building, threatening surrounding structures.

Earlier, a section of the Ministry of Education building on the first floor had also caught fire.

During the afternoon, protesters moved towards the city centre, where they burned benches installed by the municipality, leaving them destroyed and littering the surrounding area.

“Resignation” and “Police of crime” were among the slogans chanted by young demonstrators.

Police used tear gas and water to disperse the crowd, while protesters responded by throwing stones and other hard objects.

Media reports said several protesters had been taken into police custody and that injured people had been transported to hospital.

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