STORY: Albanians clashed with police in the capital Tirana on Friday (October 16) night, throwing projectiles and destroying public property while authorities used water cannons on the protesters.

The demonstrations, which are spreading through the country, entered the fourth day with the student-led campaign demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama. They followed months of mostly peaceful demonstrations that the students say the government ignored.

“This is just the start,” said Enfjull, one of thousands of young protesters in the capital. “And we are making history here and making an Albania that we want to live here. We want to build together.”

The protesters accused officials of corruption and neglecting education and said they are angry about the sale of pristine parts of Albania's coast to a luxury resort development backed by US President Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner.

The unrest is a challenge for Rama, who won a fourth term last year on promises to take Albania into the European Union and is aiming for membership as early as 2028.

DESCRIPCIÓN DE IMÁGENES

SHOWS: TIRANA, ALBANIA (OCTOBER 16, 2026) (REUTERS - Access all) (NIGHT SHOTS)

1. RIOT POLICE WALKING TOWARDS PROTESTERS / PROTESTER THROWING BALL OF FIRE TOWARDS WATER CANNON / PROTESTERS THROWING OBJECTS AT RIOT POLICE / EXPLOSION

2. PROTESTER THROWING GAS CANISTER AT POLICE

3. PROTESTERS GATHERED AND CHEERING

4. PROTESTER THROWING OBJECTS AT POLICE

5. PROTESTERS GATHERED

6. PROTESTERS THROWING OBJECTS TOWARDS WATER CANNON

7. EXPLOSION / WATER CANNON BEING USED

8. (SOUNDBITE) (English) PROTESTER, ENFJULL (NO LAST NAME GIVEN), SAYING:

“No, this is just the start. This is just the start. If it’s, if we, If I have to call it an end, it's the end of an era. And we are making history here and making an Albania that we want to live here. We want to build together. We want to, work and live here without having to leave because of corruption and, and, feeling like nothing is ever enough. An injustice most of all.”

9. PROTESTER SETTING BUSH ON FIRE

10. RIOT POLICE THROWING OBJECT AT PROTESTERS / FIREWORKS EXPLODING

11. WATER CANNON ARRIVING

12. PROTESTER USING CROWD CONTROL BARRIER TO BLOCK ROAD

13. SMOKE / PROTESTERS THROWING OBJECTS

14. PROTESTER DRAGGING BARRIERS TO BLOCK ROAD

15. RIOT POLICE REMOVING BARRIERS FOR WATER CANNON TO GO THROUGH

16. RIOT POLICE AND WATER CANNON ADVANCING

17. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS RUNNING

18. PERSON WEARING MASK STANDING

19. VARIOUS OF DUMPSTERS ON FIRE

20. VARIOUS OF PROTESTERS GATHERED