Albanian students stormed government buildings in Tirana on Wednesday (October 14) during violent protests over rising education costs and corruption.

Protesters set fire to the Ministry of Education, Ministry of Finance and Ministry of Justice buildings, hurled stones at police, and vandalised public property as they demanded better university conditions and the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.

Riot police used water cannons to disperse demonstrators who stormed the Constitutional Court building and threw flares and fireworks inside.

"This protest is for the students, not only for the students. It's all for the people of Albania," protester Enida Bimi said. "The people are very angry at the system. They need to change everything."

Another protester, Arber Lleshi, called for the government's removal, saying: "We are here to protest against our most corrupt government ever, which is misusing and abusing our environment, our natural resources, our land, our protected areas."

The protests represent the most violent outburst against the administration of Rama, who won a fourth term in office in elections in May last year but has since faced growing discontent over perceived corruption.

Student organisers said the protest was over conditions at universities, higher education costs, a lack of financial support and employment prospects after graduation.

The unrest is part of a broader wave of student activism sweeping Europe over education and living conditions. In France, high school students have staged weeks of protests and school blockades demanding more teachers and better facilities, arguing that deteriorating school buildings and overcrowded classrooms are undermining education.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

TIRANA, ALBANIA (OCTOBER 14, 2026) (REUTERS-Access all)

1. PROTESTERS STORMING CONSTITUTIONAL COURT BUILDING

2. PROTESTERS HURLING STONES AT POLICE

3. RIOT POLICE BACKING OFF WHILE BEING PELTED WITH STONES / WATER CANNONS SPRAYING WATER

4. PROTESTERS ENTERING CONSTITUTIONAL COURT BUILDING, THROWING FLARES AND FIREWORKS

5. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS SURROUNDING POLICE OFFICER / POLICE OFFICER WALKING AWAY

6. POLICE OFFICER WALKING AWAY

7. WATER CANNONS MOVING IN FRONT OF PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE BUILDING

8. PROTESTERS HURLING STONES AS THEY ARE SPRAYED BY WATER CANNONS / RIOT POLICE CHASING PROTESTER

9. FIRE NEAR WATER CANNON / POLICE OFFICER RUNNING AWAY FROM HURLED STONES

10. PROTESTERS RUNNING

11. POLICE OFFICERS RUNNING AWAY AS STONES ARE BEING HURLED

12. PROTESTERS STORMING MINISTRY OF FINANCE BUILDING

13. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS TRYING TO BREAK DOOR AT MINISTRY OF FINANCE BUILDING

14. VARIOUS OF SMOKE AND FIRE COMING OUT OF MINISTRY’S BUILDING

15. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS WALKING BY MINISTRY’S BUILDING, VANDALISING WINDOWS

16. POLICE SECURING MINISTRY OF FINANCE BUILDING

17. PROTESTERS MOVING TOWARDS PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE

18. PROTESTERS OUTSIDE PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE BUILDING, WATER CANNONS SPRAYING WATER ON PROTESTERS

19. PROTESTERS BUILDING ROADBLOCKS OUTSIDE PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE

20. WATER CANNONS OUTSIDE PRIME MINISTER’S OFFICE

21. WATER CANNONS MOVING, PROTESTERS HURLING STONES

22. PROTESTERS BEING SPRAYED WITH WATER, HURLING STONES

23. (SOUNDBITE) (English) PROTESTER, ENIDA BIMI, SAYING:

“This protest is for the students, not only for the students. It's all for the people of Albania. They want better conditions for the faculty. No corruption. They need to study. They need a better way for the bedrooms of the colleges. The people are very angry at the system. They need to change everything. With this corruption all around, the crime and everything else is happening. And the people now are angry. They need to change the system. They need to do something else.”

24. (SOUNDBITE) (English) PROTESTER, ARBER LLESHI, SAYING:

“Oh, we are here to protest against our most corrupt government ever, who is misusing and abusing our environment, our natural resources, our land, our protected areas. This is the most corrupt government that our country has ever seen, and it needs to go as soon as possible.”

25. PROTESTERS VANDALISING TRAFFIC LIGHTS

26. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS VANDALISING CCTV CAMERA

27. PROTESTER VANDALISING BUS STOP ON FIRE

28. PROTESTERS BREAKING STREET BARRIERS