Eight injured in clashes during Tirana protests; municipal building and Environment Ministry entrance set alight

Eight people received medical attention after clashes during a large anti-government protest in Tirana on 24 October 2026, the preliminary report from the Albanian Ministry of Health and Social Protection says.

Escalation in the city centre

According to the ministry, one member of parliament, one journalist and four demonstrators were treated at the University Hospital Centre "Mother Teresa"; all six were later released after receiving care. Separately, a police officer and another journalist were treated at the University Hospital of Traumatology and are in stable condition.

Earlier on the same day protesters set fire to a municipal building and to the entrance door of the Ministry of Environment in central Tirana. Security forces responded on Skanderbeg Square with water cannon and large amounts of tear gas to disperse the crowd. Flames on the ministry door were put out quickly, although a window on the same building also caught fire.

Clashes intensified after some demonstrators threw stones and pyrotechnic devices at police and state institutions. Police used water cannon and tear gas on several occasions, while containers were set alight and barricades erected at multiple locations around the city.

Tensions in Tirana remain high amid growing political and social discontent directed at the government of Prime Minister Edi Rama. In recent months the opposition Democratic Party, led by Sali Berisha, has organised multiple demonstrations demanding early elections and accusing the government of corruption, poor governance and a deterioration in living standards.

Student and civic groups have also voiced grievances over economic conditions, high living costs, youth emigration and problems in the education system, saying Albania faces serious challenges in employment, social security and opportunities for young people.

Photo: press material from the event