300 Injured in Tirana Clash as Albanian Protesters Torch Rama's Talk Offer

Police in Albania's capital cleared the streets on Saturday after a rally against the government turned violent.

Authorities reported more than 300 injuries among protesters and officers, along with dozens of arrests. Organizers had called on students and others to travel to Tirana for the gathering, and university professors, artists and opposition parties said they would join. The crowd reached thousands.

Officers used water cannon, tear gas and rubber bullets against those gathered. Demonstrators threw stones at the Ministry of Education and rolled burning bins toward it. The building has become a focus of the protests. Local media reported that police increased security around the capital and checked cars entering the city.

Red cushions were placed outside the government headquarters as an invitation to talk. Protesters later set the cushions alight. Prime Minister Edi Rama, a Socialist, has blamed "foreign actors" for the violence and accused Russia and Iran of driving online misinformation. He has called for dialogue. Demonstrators blame the whole political class for the crisis, and some carried signs criticizing Rama's opposition rival, centre-right leader Sali Berisha.

Protests have run intermittently in Albania since May, when news emerged of a luxury hotel project linked to the family of United States President Donald Trump. Grievances have since widened to cover corruption and living costs. A wave of demonstrations began in mid-October over conditions in schools and the rising cost of living, and demonstrators and police have clashed repeatedly since then. Rallies in Tirana had quieted in recent days before Saturday's gathering escalated tensions again.

Rama's government faces calls for his resignation. Albania is a Balkan country of about 2.8 million people, and its economy depends heavily on tourism and remittances from workers abroad.