More than 300 people injured during protest in Tirana — Al Jazeera

Clashes broke out between protesters and police during an anti-government rally in Tirana, the capital of Albania. According to the authorities, more than 300 demonstrators and law enforcement officers were injured, while dozens of rally participants were detained. As Al Jazeera reports, police used water cannons, tear gas and rubber bullets to disperse the crowd.

Clashes near government buildings

Thousands of people arrived in Tirana at the call of the protest organizers, including students from different regions of the country. University lecturers, artists and opposition parties expressed support for the rally or their intention to take part in it.

One of the centers of the protests was Albania's Ministry of Education. Some rally participants threw stones at the building and rolled burning garbage containers toward it. Before the rally, police strengthened security measures in the capital and inspected cars heading to the city.

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Demands of the rally participants

Periodic anti-government protests in Albania have been taking place since May, when information emerged about a luxury hotel project linked to the family of US President Donald Trump. A major wave of protests began in mid-October over conditions at educational institutions and the high cost of living.

Later, the outrage grew into broader demands to fight corruption and calls for the resignation of Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama. Rama called for dialogue: red cushions were laid out near the government headquarters as a symbol of negotiations, but protesters later set them on fire.

The prime minister also placed responsibility for the violence on foreign actors and accused Russia, an aggressor state, and Iran of spreading online disinformation. Some rally participants hold the entire political class responsible for the crisis and also criticize center-right opposition leader Sali Berisha.