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Student protests in Albania turn violent as Tirana demonstrators clash with police
Tens of thousands of students protesting in Tirana over rising education costs and corruption set fire to a government building and two banks on Wednesday, and police responded with water cannon and teargas.
By Haut Monde Post
• October 14, 2026
• 3 Min Read
Fires and clashes in the capital
Demonstrators in the Albanian capital hurled stones at police, set alight a government building and two banks, and turned a student demonstration into the most violent confrontation the country has seen in the current wave of unrest. Officers dispersed the crowds with water cannon and teargas after protesters started a fire at the ministry of education building, overturned bins and smashed shop fronts.
- •A branch of Raiffeisen Bank near the education ministry caught fire during the clashes.
- •Police fired teargas and water cannon to push protesters back from the burning ministry building.
What the students are demanding
Student organisers framed the protest as a response to conditions at universities, higher education costs, a lack of financial support and employment prospects after graduation. Some in the crowd went further than the organisers' stated grievances. As she threw rocks at police, a student who gave only her first name, Lora, declared that the movement had moved past peaceful methods.
"This is a revolution. We are tired of peaceful protests. We will not stop until Rama resigns."
Other protesters chanted "resignation" and "police of crime" as the confrontation with officers escalated. Many also dismiss opposition figures as unpalatable alternatives to the government.
Pressure on Edi Rama
The violence marks the most serious outburst yet aimed at Prime Minister Edi Rama, who won a fourth term in office in May last year but has since faced growing discontent over perceived graft among top officials. The demonstration followed a summer of peaceful protests triggered by a proposed luxury resort along Albania's southern coast backed by Jared Kushner, a project entangled in legal disputes. Albanian media reported that Wednesday's protests had spread to universities at Elbasan and Shkodër.
Government, police and EU react
The government condemned the violence. Deputy Prime Minister Albana Koçiu wrote on Facebook that "protesting is a legitimate right, but it cannot be used as an excuse for violence", and called on students and honest citizens to distance themselves from violence and vandalism. Police urged calm in a statement, warning that "any person who uses violence, burns or destroys property, or attacks police officers, bears individual responsibility" and will face the law.
The European Union, which Albania aspires to join, voiced concern over what it called the "violent escalation at the protest in Tirana". The EU delegation in Tirana said it took note of allegations of excessive police violence against protesters and journalists, called for a prompt investigation and urged all sides to de-escalate.
