Tirana streets erupt as protesters hurl fireworks and Molotovs, police fire water cannon
Violent clashes broke out in Tirana, with demonstrators throwing fireworks, Molotov cocktails and stones at police, who responded with water cannons.
On Monday, anti-government protesters in Albania's capital set trash bins ablaze and hurled fireworks, Molotov cocktails and rocks at law-enforcement officers. Riot police advanced through the city and deployed water cannons to disperse the crowd. The unrest is linked to long-standing grievances over corruption, university conditions and calls for Prime Minister Edi Rama to step down. Rama warned that while protests are a right, crossing a "red line" into violence is a crime. Authorities reported roughly 300 injuries, over half of them among police personnel.
Why it matters
The clashes highlight growing political instability in Albania and the government's struggle to manage widespread anti-government sentiment.
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