Student demonstrations in Albania turned violent on Tuesday as protesters threw bricks and concrete blocks at the education ministry in the capital, Tirana. Police responded by firing tear gas and deploying water cannons to disperse the crowd.Several demonstrators were detained by police during the nationwide protest, which focused on education-related concerns and broader social grievances.Student organisers said the rally was intended to draw attention to challenges facing university students, including campus conditions, the cost of higher education, financial assistance and employment opportunities after graduation.Some participants also expressed anger over social inequality and the government’s policies, calling for fundamental political and social change.“What Albania needs is a revolution, a change, a complete overthrow of the system because it can’t go on like this,” protester Luljeta Kola said. She highlighted what she described as widespread social injustice and a significant gap between the rich and the poor.
Student activism spreads across Europe
The protest in Albania comes against the backdrop of growing student activism in several European countries. In France, high school students have held weeks of demonstrations and blocked school premises to demand more teachers and better facilities.The protesters there have raised concerns that deteriorating school buildings and overcrowded classrooms are affecting the quality of education.
Albania’s deputy PM criticises violent demonstrations
Albanian Deputy Prime Minister Albana Koçiu condemned the violence in a Facebook post, arguing that attacks on public institutions and law enforcement were not appropriate ways for young people to voice their concerns.“Violence has not been, is not, and will never be a solution,” Koçiu wrote. She also criticised stone-throwing, attacks on state police and the destruction of public property, saying such actions were not an acceptable form of youth expression.
