Reuters. Protesters damaged a bank building, a bus stop and set garbage containers on fire on Thursday (October 15) during a third day of student protests over corruption and education, as police used tear gas and water cannons to disperse crowds in Tirana.
Protesters voiced anger about perceived corruption, the cost and quality of education and a deal to sell off parts of its pristine southern coastline to a luxury resort development backed by US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.
They demanded Albanian Prime Minister Edi Rama's resignation, saying no one had listened to their concerns during a summer of largely peaceful protests over the development.
In a written statement to Reuters, Rama rejected calls to quit.
The unrest is part of a broader wave of student activism sweeping Europe over education and living conditions. In France, high school students have staged weeks of protests and school blockades demanding more teachers and better facilities, arguing that deteriorating school buildings and overcrowded classrooms are undermining education.
