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Student protesters broke into Albania's Education Ministry in Tirana overnight on Tuesday and set a fire inside, police said, according to Al Jazeera. Police said the violence led to 16 arrests.
Hundreds of students gathered in front of the ministry on Tuesday, following fierce protests on Monday. Demonstrators tore out fencing near the building and used it to block the street. Photos from the scene show protesters setting garbage bins on fire and throwing bricks at police.
Reuters reported that protesters threw bricks and concrete blocks at the ministry. Riot police answered with tear gas and water cannons and detained several people. The unrest was described as a nationwide demonstration over education and social issues that turned violent in the capital.
Organizers cited university conditions, the cost of higher education, financial support for students and job prospects after graduation. Students also told local media they want Prime Minister Edi Rama to resign.
Deputy Prime Minister Albana Koçiu responded on Facebook. "Violence has not been, is not, and will never be a solution," she wrote. She also said that protesting is a legitimate right.
The student protests follow months of unrest in Tirana. Besar Likmeta of the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network told Al Jazeera that daily rallies in the capital ran for four months. The movement became known as the "Flamingo Revolution." It began as opposition to a resort project in a protected area of southern Albania linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump. Protesters cited alleged corruption and a lack of transparency. Likmeta said their demands later widened to include anti-corruption measures and opportunities for young people.
Reuters also noted a wider wave of student activism across Europe. It pointed to weeks of high school protests and school blockades in France over teacher shortages and building conditions.
Neither report gave injury figures, the total number of people involved or a cause for the ministry fire. The two outlets differ slightly on how many days the protests have run, so we have not put a day count on them.
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