Albanian police fire tear gas and rubber bullets as thousands rally against the government in Tirana

As of 6:24 p.m. ET, Oct. 24, 2026

Riot police in Albania's capital, Tirana, fired tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets on Saturday after thousands of people joined another anti-government rally following days of violent unrest, Agence France-Presse reported.

Soon after the rally began outside the education ministry, which has become a focal point of the protests, a group of demonstrators threw stones at the building, an AFP reporter said. Many of its windows had already been smashed in previous days. Police responded right away with water cannon, tear gas and rubber bullets, and some protesters set off fireworks at security forces, according to AFP.

Prime Minister Edi Rama has called for "dialogue." Outside the government headquarters on Saturday, red cushions had been laid on the ground around a makeshift concrete table as a symbolic invitation to talks. They stayed empty and were later set on fire by hundreds of protesters, AFP reported.

Weeks of clashes

Protesters and police have clashed regularly in Tirana since mid-October. Several government buildings have been attacked, and authorities say dozens of demonstrators have been detained and more than 300 protesters and police injured over that period, according to AFP.

AFP reported that the protests began in May over a luxury hotel project linked to President Donald Trump's family. Anger over the resort has since grown into a broader push against corruption, along with ongoing demands that Rama step down, the agency said.

Demonstrators have distanced themselves from political parties. On Saturday they chanted "Rama in prison" and "Berisha in prison," referring to longtime opposition leader Sali Berisha, and blamed the entire political class for the crisis, AFP reported.

What is not known

It is not known how many people were injured or detained on Saturday. The figure of more than 300 injured is the authorities' running total since mid-October. AFP said police did not respond to its request for information about injuries among officers.