Fire erupts at Albania’s Education Ministry as protests enter third day

At least 16 additional protesters have been arrested after clashing with riot police.

A man wearing an outfit resembling traditional Albanian attire sits amid scattered debris during an anti-government protest by students in Tirana, Albania, on October 14, 2026 [Florion Goga/Reuters]

Protesters started a blaze at Albania’s Education Ministry overnight after a second day of student protests in the country’s capital Tirana that continue unabated.

Demonstrators broke in overnight on Tuesday and lit a fire inside of the building, according to police, adding that the violence resulted in 16 arrests.

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Protesters continued to rally on Wednesday. Hundreds of students gathered and slung rocks at the ministry, as they demanded better university conditions and the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.

In an attempt to break up the crowds, riot police responded with tear gas and water cannons.

A protester throws a brick at police during clashes with riot police in central Tirana on October 14, 2026 [AFP]

Demonstrators also ripped out nearby fencing and used it to block the street.

Hundreds of people rallied on Tuesday in front of the Education Ministry, after fierce protests broke out in Tirana on Monday.

“Protesting is a legitimate right, but it cannot be used as an excuse for violence, city destruction or ugly fighting in the middle of the road,” Deputy Prime Minister Albana Kociu said on Facebook.

“I call on students and every honest citizen who believes in the right to protest: Distance yourself from violence and vandalism!”

Protesters throw bricks at police during clashes in central Tirana on October 14, 2026 [AFP]

‘Flamingo Revolution’

Besar Likmeta, editor at the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network in Albania, told Al Jazeera that “this protest came on the back of four months of daily rallies on the main streets of the capital”, known as the “ Flamingo Revolution “.

The movement started in protest of a resort project in a protected area of southern Albania linked to the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump, Jared Kushner .

The project fuelled anger over alleged corruption and a lack of transparency, with protesters demanding Rama’s resignation.

“But then they, they spread into wider demands about better, better opportunities and anti-corruption, lack of opportunities for youth, and particularly a sign of growing disenfranchisement among this younger generation of Albanians,” Likmeta added.

Students told local media that the protests were against university conditions, tuition fees and a lack of support for young people.

至少还有16名抗议者在与防暴警察发生冲突后被捕。

2026年10月14日，在阿尔巴尼亚首都地拉那，一名身着类似阿尔巴尼亚传统服饰的男子坐在散落的瓦砾堆中，当时学生们正在举行反政府抗议活动。[Florion Goga/路透社]

在阿尔巴尼亚首都地拉那，学生抗议活动已持续两天，抗议者连夜纵火焚烧了该国教育部大楼。

据警方称，示威者于周二晚间闯入该建筑物并纵火，暴力事件导致 16 人被捕。

列表 1/3：环保活动家格蕾塔·通贝里加入法国学生抗议活动

名单2/3：总统候选人梅朗雄加入法国学校抗议游行

印度“蟑螂党”三名领导人因进入“禁区”抗议场所而被捕入狱（名单3/3）

周三，抗议者继续集会。数百名学生聚集在一起，向教育部投掷石块，要求改善大学条件并要求总理埃迪·拉马辞职。

为了驱散人群，防暴警察使用了催泪瓦斯和高压水炮。

2026年10月14日，在地拉那市中心，一名抗议者在与防暴警察的冲突中向警察投掷砖块。[法新社]

示威者还拆除了附近的围栏，并用它封锁了街道。

周二，数百人在教育部大楼前集会，此前周一地拉那爆发了激烈的抗议活动。

“抗议是一项合法权利，但不能以此为借口进行暴力、破坏城市或在马路中间进行丑陋的斗殴，”副总理阿尔巴娜·科丘在脸书上表示。

“我呼吁所有相信抗议权利的学生和每一位正直的公民：远离暴力和破坏行为！”

2026年10月14日，在首都地拉那市中心发生的冲突中，抗议者向警察投掷砖块。[法新社]

《火烈鸟革命》

阿尔巴尼亚巴尔干调查报道网的编辑贝萨尔·利克梅塔告诉半岛电视台，“这次抗议活动是在首都主要街道上持续四个月的每日集会之后发生的”，这些集会被称为“火烈鸟革命”。

该运动的起因是抗议在阿尔巴尼亚南部一个受保护地区兴建度假村的项目，该项目与美国总统唐纳德·特朗普的女婿贾里德·库什纳有关。

该项目因涉嫌腐败和缺乏透明度而引发众怒，抗议者要求拉玛辞职。

“但随后，这些诉求扩展到更广泛的层面，包括更好的机会、反腐败、青年缺乏机会，尤其表明阿尔巴尼亚年轻一代的权利被剥夺感日益加剧，”利克梅塔补充道。

学生们告诉当地媒体，抗议活动是为了反对大学环境、学费以及对年轻人缺乏支持。