Tear Gas and Bricks Fly as Albanian Students Storm Education Ministry Demanding PM's Resignation

Tirana, Albania – Albanian riot police deployed tear gas and water cannons Tuesday against hundreds of student demonstrators who clashed with authorities and attacked the Education Ministry. The protesters were demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama and improvements in education and social conditions.

The demonstration saw students hurling bricks and concrete blocks at the Education Ministry building. Organizers stated that the protest was fueled by concerns over university conditions, rising higher education costs, inadequate financial support, and bleak employment prospects for graduates.

During the clashes, hooded individuals attempted to breach a gate at the Education Ministry, with the Albanian word “Resign” visible on a wall. Police reported that at least six officers and one female journalist sustained injuries, and 23 arrests were made. Despite police calls to cease the attacks, some protesters continued to assault officers with Molotov cocktails, firecrackers, stones, and other projectiles.

Protesters voiced deep frustration with societal inequality and the government's economic policies. “What Albania needs is a revolution, a change, a complete overthrow of the system because it can’t go on like this,” stated protester Luljeta Kola, highlighting a significant social divide between the wealthy and the poor in the country.

Deputy Prime Minister Albana Kociu addressed the violence on Facebook, stating, “Violence has not been, is not, and will never be a solution. Throwing stones, attacking institutions and the state police, as well as the senseless destruction of public property, are not how youth should express themselves.”

This protest follows a series of anti-government demonstrations in the Albanian capital since May, initially sparked by a luxury tourism project associated with the family of US President Donald Trump. That project ignited public anger over alleged corruption and a lack of transparency, leading to demands for Rama’s resignation.

Students participating in Tuesday's rally echoed these demands while also emphasizing their grievances regarding university conditions, tuition fees, and insufficient support for young people. “Problems are not solved by pretending they do not exist. Students have questions, demands and plenty of reasons to be heard,” one organizer commented on Instagram.