Students broke into the ministry building on Tuesday night and lit a fire, police said. The violence marked an escalation after two days of protests that have drawn hundreds of demonstrators to the capital.
On Wednesday, crowds continued to gather outside the ministry, throwing rocks at the building. Riot police used tear gas and water cannons in an attempt to disperse them. Demonstrators also tore down nearby fencing and blocked streets.
The protests, which began on Monday, are being driven by demands for improved university conditions and the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama. They follow four months of daily rallies in Tirana that have become known as the “Flamingo Revolution”, according to Besar Likmeta, editor at the Balkan Investigative Reporting Network in Albania.
Deputy Prime Minister Albana Kociu addressed the unrest on Facebook, saying: “Protesting is a legitimate right, but it cannot be used as an excuse for violence, city destruction or ugly fighting in the middle of the road.” She called on students and citizens to “distance yourself from violence and vandalism.”