Albania: Ministry of Education set on fire in Tirana amid violent student protests (Video)

High-intensity clashes are erupting in Tirana, Albania, between students and police, on the sidelines of demonstrations over education-related issues. According to footage and reports, on the afternoon of Wednesday, October 14, the Ministry of Education caught fire, as did several banks — including Raiffeisen — and a branch of the microcredit company Iute Credit. Students from numerous faculties across Tirana — including Medicine, Polytechnic, Economics, and Law — took part in the protests and the march toward the Ministry of Education. High school students also joined in, including those from the Partizani school, while classes at the “Aleksandër Xhuvani” University in Elbasan were reportedly boycotted. The most intense clashes took place outside the Ministry of Education building. According to Albanian media, by the afternoon at least 20 people had been detained, with five injuries reported — including one police officer. Protesters threw rocks and Molotov cocktails, while police responded with tear gas and water cannons.

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Albania: Rocks and Molotov cocktails

Students are protesting to demand better conditions at universities, financial support for those who cannot afford higher education, and stronger links between academia and the job market — calling for greater employment opportunities upon graduation. The cost of higher education is also a major concern. Demonstrators are directing their anger at Edi Rama’s government over its policies, while also denouncing social inequality.

According to reports, groups of protesters — some with their faces covered — attacked the Ministry of Education and nearby businesses with rocks and Molotov cocktails. The attacks sparked a fire in offices on the first floor of the Ministry of Education, while fires also broke out at a bank branch and at an Iute Credit branch, which, according to related reports, had already been targeted the previous day.

Police responded with tear gas and water cannon vehicles in an effort to disperse the crowds, as clashes continued in the streets surrounding the ministry. Protesters erected barricades using metal railings, benches, and garbage bins, while damage was recorded at shops and public infrastructure. Albanian Deputy Prime Minister Albana Koçiu condemned the acts of violence, stressing that the right to protest does not justify attacks on institutions, police officers, or public property.