Albanian Police Use Tear Gas and Water Cannon on Protesters Outside Parliament

Albanian police clashed with protesters outside parliament in Tirana on Thursday, using tear gas, pepper spray and a water cannon after demonstrators threw rocks, eggs and other objects at officers. The clashes injured 12 police officers and led to the detention of 18 protesters, authorities said. Protesters also smashed the windows of a police car using part of a metal barrier.

The demonstration was part of ongoing daily protests known as the “flamingo revolution,” which began more than a month ago in opposition to a luxury coastal development project at Narta Lagoon linked to Jared Kushner, the son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump.

While initially focused on environmental concerns, the protests have expanded into broader opposition to the government of Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama.

Thousands have participated in recent weeks, blowing whistles and carrying cardboard cut-outs of flamingos. Protester Agustela Thoma said demonstrators wanted their voices heard in parliament after being ignored by the prime minister. “But enough is enough,” she added.

Interior Minister Besfort Lamallari condemned the violence against police, stating that an attack on officers is an attack against the state. The government maintains that the Narta Lagoon project would boost Albania’s tourism sector and support its European Union membership bid.