The civil unrest in Albania’s capital reached its 34th consecutive day as thousands of demonstrators gathered at Skanderbeg Square before processing through the main boulevard to stage a rally in front of the Prime Minister’s Office.
The demonstration, sparked primarily by fierce opposition to a major investment project in the Zvërnec region alongside broader demands for the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama, quickly transformed into a strategic march across the capital.
Shift to Commissariat No. 3
Following a series of intense public speeches outside the government headquarters, the crowd mobilized into a dynamic march with a new focal point: Police Commissariat No. 3.
[TIMELINE OF RECENT ESCALATION]
│
┌────────────────────────────────┴────────────────────────────────┐
▼ ▼
[THE PARLIAMENT CLASH] [THE MARCH ON COMMISSARIAT 3]
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• Violent altercations breakout between • Crowd shifts target from the PM Office
protestors and state police outside • Main Objective: Demand the immediate
the Parliament building. release of all detained activists.
• Several organizers & citizens arrested. • Heavy security details guard the perimeter.
The relocation comes in direct response to the violent clashes that erupted outside the Parliament, where law enforcement executed several arrests. Demonstrators filled the streets surrounding the station, chanting slogans demanding the immediate and unconditional release of those held inside.
Calls for De-escalation and Press Freedom
As tensions simmered, Arben Kola, one of the core initiators and organizers of the movement, took the microphone to issue an urgent appeal to the marching crowd. Kola strictly instructed participants not to target or attack journalists, camera operators, and media representatives, emphasizing that maintaining the integrity of the protest is vital to avoiding further state crackdowns.
“We must avoid the counterproductive clashes seen yesterday,” Kola urged. “Our focus must remain solely on government accountability and the freedom of our detained citizens.”
State authorities have significantly reinforced security perimeters around key government institutions and municipal police facilities as the localized marches continue to disrupt traffic flow across major arteries of Tirana.
