The key facts

  • Student and school protests in Albania have been going on for a fifth day, covering Tirana, Durrës and Korça
  • In Durrës police detained participants after damage to buildings; the number of detainees was not given
  • The police oversight agency is reviewing alleged violations by officers during the dispersal of the protests

Fifth day of protests

Student protests in Albania continued for a fifth day on Saturday, October 17. According to the public broadcaster RTSH, in Tirana students were to gather at their universities and then head to the ministry of education, where a rally was scheduled for 11:00 (09:00 GMT). The organizers called for nationwide mobilization involving university and school students, other citizens and representatives of the Albanian diaspora.

Tirana: police reinforcement

Police deployed water cannons near the ministry and prepared to set up a cordon. The situation initially remained calm, but then protesters removed sidewalk barriers and blocked the road with them.

Durrës: detentions and damage

In Durrës schoolchildren gathered outside the city hall building for the third day in a row: they threw stones at the building, set fire to garbage containers and damaged fences. Later, while moving toward the police station, protesters smashed the windows of the Albanian post office building. Police intervened and carried out detentions, after which the crowd dispersed. The number of detainees was not reported.

Korça: discontent about the future

In Korça crowds consisting mostly of schoolchildren protested for the third day in a row, condemning the lack of opportunities to build a future in Albania and, in their words, the absence of justice.

Review of police actions

The police oversight agency said it was examining alleged violations of the law by state police officers during the protests in Tirana and other cities. Agency staff documented incidents on the spot and collected footage from media and social networks to establish the circumstances and determine responsibility. Cases of possible criminal offenses are being handled under the direction of Tirana prosecutors.