Photos: Antigovernment protesters clash with police in Albania’s capital

What the report says

Police in Albania’s capital, Tirana, clashed with riot officers as antigovernment demonstrations entered a sixth day, according to Al Jazeera’s photo report. The protests have been led largely by students and other demonstrators calling on Prime Minister Edi Rama to resign. The article says the unrest intensified on 18 Oct. 2026, with crowds and police facing off in the streets.

Al Jazeera reported that the demonstrations are tied to anger over university conditions, high tuition costs and corruption. The images and captioned scenes show protesters throwing tear gas back toward police, hurling Molotov cocktails, burning bins to block roads and being detained by officers. Water cannons were also deployed during the clashes.

The outlet said the unrest is part of a broader wave of antigovernment protest in Albania that has been building for months. It noted that earlier tensions were connected to a controversial resort development associated with the family of US President Donald Trump. That background helps explain why the current protests have widened beyond student grievances into a larger challenge to the government.

The escalation matters because it shows growing pressure on Rama’s administration and the possibility of further instability in Tirana if talks or concessions do not emerge. As a photo-led report, Al Jazeera focused on the street violence and the scale of the confrontation rather than on official responses or casualty figures.