Thousands of young Albanians gathered outside the Education Ministry in the center of the capital Tirana on Saturday on the fifth day of a growing student-led movement to force Prime Minister Edi Rama to resign.
\n\nThe protest turned violent when a group of young people wearing masks hurled rocks at riot police, who responded with stun grenades, tear gas and a water cannon.
\n\nDemonstrations over corruption and a lack of jobs have begun spreading throughout Albania. In Tirana this week, protesters smashed windows, set alight government buildings and clashed with police.
\n\nPolice figures showed that 500 protesters had been detained so far, 330 of whom were released. Some 120 police and 45 protesters were registered as injured, although many injuries to protesters are likely to have gone unrecorded.
\n\nThe unrest is emerging as the biggest threat to Rama, who has governed since 2013 and won a fourth term in elections last year.
\n\nIt follows months of largely peaceful protests triggered by plans to build a luxury resort on Albania’s pristine southern coastline, backed by investors including US President Donald Trump’s son-in-law, Jared Kushner.
\n\nVillagers told Reuters in July that their land had been wrongfully sold for the development. Reuters later…
Original source: https://www.nbcnews.com/business