(VIDEO) Escalation in Albania: Demonstrators set fire to the ministry and police station in Tirana

Violent clashes erupted in Tirana during the sixth anti-government protest, where demonstrators set parts of government and police facilities on fire. The situation in the capital of Albania further worsened, and the police used large amounts of tear gas to disperse the crowd. The most brutal incidents were recorded at the "Skenderbeg" square and the "Macheници na nacija" street. Demonstrators threw stones, sticks, Molotov cocktails, and pyrotechnics at the police officers while security forces tried to bring the situation under control. The Supreme Court burns to the ground in Albania, Parliament and the Department of Education has been stormed, the Prime Minister is in hiding and the country is effectively in the hands of the rebels. Albania rejects blatant corruption and their country being sold. https://t.co/EH22FBySId — BladeoftheSun (@BladeoftheSun) October 18, 2026 During the protests, parts of the Ministry of Infrastructure and Energy were set on fire, the entrance to the Ministry of Interior and the police station number 3 on Mine Peza street were also burned. According to media reports, the fire in the police station broke out in the reception area, and there were suspicions that several people were in the building at that time. 🇦🇱🔥 Albania: fifth day of student-led protests; Reuters says 500 detained and about 120 police injured as clashes continue in Tirana Thousands of young Albanians gathered outside the Education Ministry in Tirana on Oct. 17, the fifth day of a student-led movement demanding Prime Minister Edi Rama’s resignation, Reuters reported. Masked protesters threw rocks and a Molotov cocktail at riot police, who used stun grenades, tear gas and a water cannon; students put up a barricade in front of the ministry. Police figures show 500 protesters detained so far, 330 of them released, and about 120 police officers and 45 protesters injured, though many protester injuries are probably unrecorded. During the week, protesters smashed windows and set government buildings on fire. Rama, who told Reuters he will not step down, said on Oct. 17 his government respects the students and will protect their right to protest; the day before, he blamed "foreign hands" and said "this is not a student phenomenon." Reported by Reuters, Al Jazeera and NBC News. NOT CONFIRMED: Reports that the protests have spread to several other cities come from lower-quality outlets; Reuters says only that demonstrations are spreading throughout Albania. The identity and organization of those throwing projectiles have not been established, and Rama has offered no evidence for the "foreign hands" claim. The movement grew out of months of largely peaceful protests against a luxury resort project on Albania’s southern coast backed by investors including Jared Kushner, and now centers on corruption, jobs and university conditions. Reuters calls it the biggest threat to Rama, who has governed since 2013 and won a fourth term last year. The scale of detentions and injuries, and the spread beyond the capital, show a movement that has outgrown student demands, while the government tries to frame violence as outside interference. This is a serious domestic crisis in one country, not a Europe-wide collapse. What to watch: Sunday’s turnout, whether Rama makes concessions on education or corruption, further casualty figures, and whether opposition parties join. Sources: Reuters; Al Jazeera; NBC News; Jerusalem Post; Albanian police figures. — 🔥🗞The Informant (@theinformant_x) October 17, 2026 Several police officers were injured in the clashes, who were transported to the hospital by the Italian medical aid. The police intervened to extinguish the fires and prevent the further spread of violence. The protests began due to dissatisfaction with the situation in education, high tuition fees, and limited job opportunities for young people. The demonstrations, however, turned into a broader anti-government protest against Prime Minister Edi Rama, where demonstrators demand his resignation.