Albania Protests: Students Set Education Ministry and Banks on Fire in Tirana

Developing story. Updated 16:20 UTC, October 15, 2026.

Update: Rama rejects calls to resign as protests enter a third day

Updated 16:20 UTC, Thursday: Prime Minister Edi Rama rejected calls to resign on Thursday as student led protests ran into a third day in Tirana. Thousands of protesters smashed windows and fought running battles with riot police, who answered with water cannon and tear gas, Reuters reported. Parliament cancelled its session as the violence erupted nearby.

In a written statement to Reuters, Rama said his responsibility was to listen, address legitimate concerns and keep the country moving forward, and that stepping down would betray the mandate voters gave him to complete negotiations on European Union membership. His government denies corruption. He said he was ready to discuss the rising cost of education, but condemned attacks on institutions and public property.

Thursday's crowds voiced the same anger over perceived corruption and the cost and quality of education, and added a deal to sell off parts of the southern coastline to a luxury resort development backed by Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of US President Donald Trump. Protesters said no one had listened during a summer of largely peaceful protests over that development. A student who gave her name as Kiara said the cost of living, poor job prospects and alleged corruption were the main issues driving people onto the streets.

Update: 35 detained and 29 treated for injuries after eight hours of riots

Authorities have now given the first full figures for Wednesday. The Associated Press reported that the rioting lasted more than eight hours across the capital, and that protesters damaged at least four government ministry buildings. Officials said 23 police officers and six other people were being treated for injuries, and that 35 people were detained.

President Bajram Begaj condemned the violence and appealed for calm. He said the constitution and the law must remain the boundaries for everyone, without exception.

TIRANA, Albania. Tens of thousands of students took to the streets of the capital on Wednesday, October 14, and fires broke out at the Education Ministry and at bank branches nearby. It was the second straight day of clashes, and the most violent day yet in a protest movement that has challenged Prime Minister Edi Rama for months.

Reuters reported that thousands gathered in front of the Education Ministry on Wednesday. Some protesters threw bricks at the building, broke metal sidewalk barriers and overturned trash cans. A fire started at the ministry, and a branch of Raiffeisen Bank nearby also caught fire, a Reuters witness said. Reporting carried by The Guardian said a government building and two banks were set on fire, and that protesters smashed the fronts of local businesses.

Police used tear gas and water cannon to push the crowds back. Tirana Times reported that unrest spread beyond the ministry toward the prime minister's headquarters and other government buildings, and that a business at the twin towers near the Pyramid of Tirana was set ablaze. The full extent of the damage was still unclear late on Wednesday.

The day before

The violence began a day earlier. On Tuesday, October 13, students hurled bricks and concrete blocks at the Education Ministry, and police answered with tear gas and water cannon. Local reporting said police took 23 demonstrators in for questioning that day, and that six police officers and a journalist were injured. Albanian media reported that Wednesday's protests also spread to universities in Elbasan and Shkoder.

What the students want

Student organisers say the protests are about conditions at universities, the cost of higher education, weak financial support, and poor job prospects after graduation. Many protesters have widened those demands. They speak of inequality and corruption, and many now call directly for Rama to resign. One student, who gave only the name Lora, told reporters the movement would not stop until he does.

Rama won a fourth term in elections in May last year. Since then he has faced steady anger over perceived graft around senior officials. Protesters say they do not see the opposition parties as a real alternative either.

A movement that began in May

The wider protest wave began on May 31. It started with opposition to a planned tourism project in the protected coastal area of Zvernec, a development linked to Jared Kushner, the son in law of United States President Donald Trump, which has faced legal disputes. What began as a campaign to protect the coast grew over the summer into peaceful marches against the government itself. This week, for the first time, it turned to fire and street fighting on a large scale.

The official response

Deputy Prime Minister Albana Kociu said protesting is a legitimate right, but she said it cannot excuse violence or the destruction of the city, and she urged students to distance themselves from vandalism. Police said anyone who uses violence, burns property, or attacks officers will face the law.

The European Union delegation in Tirana said it was concerned by the violent escalation. It said it had noted allegations of excessive violence by police against protesters and journalists, called for a prompt investigation, and urged all sides to bring the tension down.

This is a developing story. The Orbit Post will update it as the full extent of the fire and building damage becomes clear and as any further protests are announced.