Rubber Bullets Fired on Day Five

Thousands of young Albanians gathered outside the Education Ministry in central Tirana on Saturday (Oct 17, 2026), on the fifth day of a growing student-led movement demanding Prime Minister Edi Rama resign. The protest turned violent when a group of masked young people hurled rocks at riot police, who responded with stun grenades, tear gas, and a water cannon.

Reuters video footage showed police firing a shotgun toward the crowd outside the ministry. Reuters reporters later found rubber pellets on the ground; the rounds hit two Reuters journalists and several protesters, leaving round marks on their bodies. The incident marks an escalation in the police-protester confrontation that has engulfed central Tirana in recent days.

Seven Officers Suspended

Albania's police chief Skender Hita did not deny the use of rubber bullets when asked at a press conference on Saturday. "All means that were used were employed in a limited manner, including the most recent ones," he said. Hita announced that seven police officers had been suspended and were facing disciplinary investigations for "exceeding their authority" and "failure to respect the principle of proportionality" in dealing with protesters.

Police figures showed that 500 protesters had been detained so far, 330 of whom were released. Some 120 police and 45 protesters were registered as injured, although the protester figure is likely much higher given that many injuries have gone unrecorded.

Demands for Rama's Resignation

The protests, which have spread to Lezha, Elbasan, Skhodra, and Korca, are fuelled by anger over perceived government corruption, a lack of jobs, and poor education standards. The trigger was plans for a luxury resort on Albania's pristine southern coastline backed by investors including Jared Kushner, son-in-law of US President Donald Trump. Villagers said their land had been wrongfully sold; Reuters found no evidence of wrongdoing by Kushner.

Rama, in power since 2013 and fresh off a fourth term last year, said he would not step down. "Governments are changed through democratic elections and we had them last year, not through violence," he said, adding that his government respected the students and would protect their right to protest.