Footage from the Albanian capital shows masked protesters launching streams of fireworks, rockets and flares straight at riot police lines during clashes on Saturday, October 24, 2026. The glowing trails and bursts of light look like something out of a fantasy film, but this is real, dangerous unrest in the heart of Tirana. The same day, Reuters reported that riot police used tear gas, water cannon and rubber bullets to disperse protesters who threw rocks at officers and started a fire at the door of the agriculture ministry. The clashes have gone on since mid-October and have spread beyond the capital to other cities.

The demonstrations began as student protests over expensive university fees, poor educational facilities, limited job prospects and the cost of living, and they have since grown into demands that Prime Minister Edi Rama resign over alleged corruption, which his government denies. Rama has refused to step down, blaming "outside" or "foreign hands" for the unrest and arguing that attacking institutions and destroying public property has nothing to do with legitimate student demands. Protesters have set fire to government buildings and banks, smashed shop windows and pulled up paving stones to throw at police, leaving parts of central Tirana littered with burned bins and broken glass. The unrest follows months of largely peaceful summer protests over a luxury coastal development, and it is the biggest challenge yet to Rama, who has governed since 2013 and won a fourth term last year. The big question now is whether either side is willing to back down, or whether the streets of Tirana are heading for more nights like this one.