Albanian anti-government protesters clash with police in Tirana

Thousands of young Albanians gathered outside the Education Ministry in ​the center of the capital Tirana on Saturday on the fifth day of a growing student-led movement ‌to force Prime Minister Edi Rama to resign.

The protest turned violent when a group of young people wearing masks hurled rocks at riot police, who responded with stun grenades, tear gas and a water cannon.

Demonstrations over corruption and a lack ​of jobs have begun spreading throughout Albania. In Tirana this week, protesters smashed windows, set alight ​government buildings and clashed with police.

Police figures showed that 500 protesters had been detained ⁠so far, 330 of whom were released. Some 120 police and 45 protesters were registered as injured, ​although many injuries to protesters are likely to have gone unrecorded.

The unrest is emerging as the biggest threat ​to Rama, who has governed since 2013 and won a fourth term in elections last year.

It follows months of largely peaceful protests triggered by plans to build a luxury resort on Albania’s pristine southern coastline, backed by investors including US President Donald Trump’s ​son-in-law, Jared Kushner.

Villagers told Reuters in July that their land had been wrongfully sold for the development. ​Reuters later…

Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/business