The Albanian capital Tirana witnessed a new wave of anti-government protests, as masked protesters threw stones and Molotov cocktails at police during a demonstration demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.
The demonstration, which took place on Saturday outside the Ministry of Education building in Tirana, began peacefully in the rain before dozens of young men began throwing paving stones and Molotov cocktails at police officers and setting fire to garbage bins.
Police forces responded by using water cannons to disperse the crowds, according to footage filmed from the scene, where protesters were seen using slingshots and pelting police with stones.
These protests, which began peacefully in May against corruption allegations linked to a luxury hotel project in a nature reserve, have since mid-October turned into frequently violent demonstrations that also demand addressing shortcomings in the healthcare system and the lack of prospects for young people.
Interior Minister Ervin Hoxha had announced on Friday that 350 people have been injured so far in the protests shaking the country, including about 200 police officers and around 40 bystanders, noting that 269 people under the age of eighteen have been detained.
On Wednesday, the government escalated its measures against the protests by imposing fines of up to 5,500 euros on participants in acts of violence.
(Source: Agencies)
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