Riots in Tirana enter a fifth day as Albania's anti-government protests escalate

As of October 17, 2026, violent protests against Prime Minister Edi Rama have entered their fifth consecutive day in Albania's capital, Tirana. Student protesters demanding better university conditions, financial support, job prospects, and the resignation of Prime Minister Rama clashed with police, leading to widespread damage throughout the city center. On Tuesday, October 13, students hurled bricks and concrete blocks at Albania’s Education Ministry in Tirana, prompting police to respond with tear gas and water cannons. The protests have since spread to include high school students and wider anti-government movements like the "Flamingo Revolution," which opposes a luxury resort project linked to Jared Kushner.

Over 80 people have been charged with disorder, hundreds arrested or under investigation, and both protesters and police sustained injuries during these clashes. Demonstrators set fires in multiple locations, including government buildings and banks, while police used rubber bullets for the first time since the protests began. The city center now resembles a war zone, littered with broken glass and burnt debris, reflecting growing discontent over education costs, unemployment, and perceived corruption under Rama’s rule, which has been in place since 2013.