Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Tirana, Albania’s capital, on Wednesday, October 14, in protests demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama over alleged widespread corruption. The demonstrations, part of the decentralised Flamingo Revolution movement, escalated into some of the country’s most serious recent unrest, with protesters setting fires, smashing shop windows and damaging government buildings. The movement takes its name from pink flamingo imagery used to oppose a controversial coastal development project.

Hundreds of demonstrators reportedly attacked banks, businesses and government sites, damaging at least four ministry buildings. Protesters dismantled police cordons, erected barricades using burning rubbish bins and clashed with riot police for more than eight hours. Police deployed tear gas and water cannons to disperse crowds as parts of the capital descended into violence.

Albanian authorities reported that 23 police officers and six other people received medical treatment for injuries, while 35 people were arrested. Health Minister Klodiana Spahiu described the violence as “intolerable,” while President Bajram Begaj called for calm and said constitutional law must be respected. Deputy Prime Minister Albana Kociu defended the right to protest but urged demonstrators to reject vandalism and street violence.

The latest unrest followed months of demonstrations against Rama, who secured a fourth term after his party won the May 2025 parliamentary election. Student groups initially mobilised around demands for education reforms, but their protests have joined a broader movement opposing alleged corruption and a luxury coastal development reportedly linked to Jared Kushner, US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law. Albanian officials have provided limited details about Kushner’s role in the project, while his wife, Ivanka Trump, has publicly praised the venture.

The European Union delegation in Albania expressed concern over the escalation, stressing that freedom of assembly and expression are fundamental European values. It also called for a proportionate police response following allegations by protest organisers of excessive force against demonstrators and journalists. Albania, an EU candidate country, continues to face scrutiny over corruption and political stability as the protests challenge Rama’s government.