Albanian communities from across the world have begun gathering outside the Council of Europe’s Parliamentary Assembly in Strasbourg, in a major protest calling for justice for former KLA leaders currently on trial in The Hague.
Organizers estimate that around 6,000 protesters will participate in the demonstration, which is scheduled to begin at 13:00 local time. This is the fourth protest of its kind, following previous gatherings in Prishtina, The Hague, and Tirana, according to Klan Kosova.
The protest is being staged under the banner “Justice for the Liberators,” a call to support the former senior figures of the Kosovo Liberation Army (UÇK), who are standing trial on war crimes charges at the Specialist Chambers in The Hague.
The Strasbourg demonstration is seen as especially symbolic, given the role of the Council of Europe in the region’s post-conflict justice process. Protesters are expected to demand a fair trial and condemn what they perceive as a politicized justice process targeting those who fought for Kosovo’s freedom.
Further protests are expected to follow, including in North Macedonia, though organizers have ruled out a protest in the Presheva Valley due to the risk of arrests and provocation by Serbian police.
