Albanian police fire rubber bullets as student protesters call for PM to quit

Rubber bullets are less-lethal projectiles fired by police to push back or disperse crowds. They are intended to reduce the risk of fatal injury compared with live ammunition. However, they can still injure people, especially when fired at close range or toward the head and upper body. Their use therefore remains controversial during protests.

In Albania, Reuters reporters found rubber pellets on the ground after police fired a shotgun toward crowds outside the education ministry. Pellets struck two Reuters journalists and several protesters, leaving round marks. Police were also using tear gas and water cannon as clashes continued. These weapons were part of a wider attempt to regain control during violent confrontations.

The police chief did not deny the use of rubber bullets. He said all measures were used in a limited manner, while seven officers faced disciplinary investigations for exceeding authority and failing to respect proportionality. The incident intensified scrutiny of police conduct and the government’s handling of the protests.

The protests were large enough to engulf central Tirana and continue for five days. They were not limited to quiet demonstrations. Protesters burned government buildings and banks and threw rocks at police. The unrest became a major public-order crisis because clashes repeatedly brought protesters and security forces into direct confrontation.

Police responded with tear gas, water cannon, and what appeared to be rubber bullets. Police chief Skender Hita said 1,067 people had been arrested and 388 had been criminally prosecuted. Scores of police officers and protesters were injured. The reported figures show that the crackdown extended far beyond a small number of isolated arrests.

The protests also spread politically beyond students’ immediate demands. They drew support from people angered by corruption, unemployment, poor education, and a separate coastal-development dispute. The scale and breadth of the unrest created the biggest challenge yet to Prime Minister Edi Rama, who had won a fourth term the previous year.

The use of rubber bullets, tear gas, and water cannon made an already tense confrontation more serious. Scores of protesters and police officers were injured, and the reported rubber-pellet impacts left round marks. The weapons did not end the unrest; instead, the incident marked an escalation in the conflict around central Tirana.

Reuters reporters found pellets on the ground after police fired a shotgun toward crowds outside the education ministry. Two Reuters journalists and several protesters were hit. Police also used tear gas and water cannon, while protesters burned buildings and banks and threw rocks. The clashes produced a cycle of force, resistance, arrests, and further injuries.

Police chief Skender Hita said seven officers were suspended and investigated for exceeding their authority and failing to respect proportionality. He did not identify the incidents behind the suspensions. By Saturday, police reported 1,067 arrests and 388 criminal prosecutions, showing that the consequences extended well beyond the firing of the pellets.

Albanian students began protesting because they saw corruption, a lack of jobs, and poor education standards as long-running failures. Medical student Juri Taullahu described 13 years of corruption, inaction, and empty promises. Their demands therefore reflected broader frustration with government performance, not only complaints about classrooms or university services.

The movement gained support from people who felt ignored during a largely peaceful summer protest against a luxury coastal development. The project was backed by Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump. Villagers said their land had been wrongfully sold for the development on a pristine southern coast. Reuters found no evidence of wrongdoing by Kushner, who was not directly involved in the villagers’ dispute.

This wider support helped turn student demonstrations into a national political challenge. The protests brought together anger about education, corruption, jobs, land, and perceived government neglect. As clashes grew, protesters burned government buildings and banks, while police used tear gas, water cannon, and apparent rubber bullets.

Edi Rama is Albania’s prime minister and the leader of the government facing the protests. The unrest matters politically because it challenges both his record and his authority. Rama won a fourth term last year, but the demonstrations became the biggest challenge yet to his administration.

The protesters’ complaints reach beyond one policy. They cite perceived corruption, a lack of jobs, poor education standards, and what they see as years of empty promises. The movement also drew support from people connected to a summer protest over a luxury coastal development. Meanwhile, Rama’s administration has faced corruption scandals, and analysts say Albania has become a hub for gangs laundering drug and weapons money.

Rama denies wrongdoing and said he would not step down. He said his responsibility was to protect citizens, guarantee justice, and move Albania toward the European Union by 2030. Continued clashes, arrests, injuries, and public anger could make governing harder and intensify pressure on his government.

The principle of proportionality means police should use no more force than necessary to address a real threat. The response should match the seriousness of the conduct, and officers should avoid weapons or tactics that create excessive harm. This principle is especially important during protests, where many people may be present and not everyone is involved in violence.

In Albania, protesters threw rocks and burned government buildings and banks, while police used tear gas, water cannon, and apparent rubber bullets. Reuters reporters found pellets after police fired toward crowds outside the education ministry. Pellets hit two journalists and several protesters. These events raised questions about whether the police response matched the dangers they faced.

Police chief Skender Hita said seven officers were suspended and investigated for exceeding their authority and failing to respect proportionality. He did not specify the incidents. The investigations could clarify whether force was properly limited, but the protests continued amid arrests, injuries, and accusations of excessive policing.

European Union accession is the process through which a country works toward becoming an EU member. It requires progress on governance, justice, accountability, and other standards. Albania is leading the accession process among Balkan countries alongside Montenegro, and Prime Minister Edi Rama says the government aims to join the EU by 2030.

The article links Albania’s accession challenge to corruption scandals and organized criminal finance. Analysts say Albania has become a hub for gangs seeking to launder money from drug and weapons trafficking. Such activity can weaken confidence in institutions and complicate efforts to show that laws are enforced fairly. The government’s response to protests also affects perceptions of justice and accountability.

Corruption concerns therefore have consequences beyond domestic politics. They can make EU progress more difficult while protesters demand change. Rama says his responsibility is to guarantee justice and move Albania forward. The country’s handling of the unrest, investigations into police conduct, and wider corruption concerns will remain important to its European ambitions.