(VIDEO) Unrest escalates in Albania: Nine police officers injured

The police director in Tirana, Oliger Torba, arrived at the University Hospital of Traumatology with a broken arm, after sustaining injuries during the protest that took place in the Albanian capital today, according to "Euronews Albania". 🇦🇱 Violent protests continue in Albania on Day 5. Protesters clashed with police in the center of Tirana as tensions continue to escalate. https://t.co/Ofo6Waq7px — kos_data (@kos_data) October 17, 2026 On the fifth day of student protests in Tirana, there were violent clashes between demonstrators and the police; security forces used tear gas, rubber bullets, and water cannons in an attempt to regain control of the situation. Demonstrators threw stones and other hard objects at the police and the Ministry of Education building while the police intervened to disperse the crowd. According to the police statement, nine police officers were injured in the previous incidents, and there was also material damage to the Ministry building and the traffic infrastructure. Protesters clashed with police in Tirana, demanding Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama’s resignation over corruption and education-neglect allegations https://t.co/FleApLV7II https://t.co/mqTtd2f7SO — Reuters (@Reuters) October 17, 2026 Twenty-one people sought medical help at the University Hospital of Traumatology, including nine police officers, 10 demonstrators, and three civilian bystanders. A twenty-one-year-old man, who sustained serious injuries during the police intervention before the Ministry of Education, is currently under medical supervision. According to available information, there is no risk of paralysis, and no surgical intervention is currently necessary. Medical assistance was also provided to three injured in the regional hospital in Valona, including one police officer, while a minor was injured in Lezhë, who was released from the hospital after receiving the assistance. The police in Tirana announced that 10 people were arrested following the five incidents, while legal proceedings have been initiated against another 22 people.