TIRANA, Oct. 17 (Xinhua) -- Protests in Albania continued on Saturday, which have escalated into violent clashes with police and left government buildings, banks, businesses and public facilities damaged in the capital Tirana.
The latest wave of protests began on Oct. 13, when students gathered outside the Ministry of Education to demand better university conditions, lower education costs and improved youth employment prospects, according to local media.
Clashes broke out that afternoon, when some demonstrators threw stones and other objects at police and government buildings. Police responded with tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowds. The situation remained tense into Friday evening, with large numbers of riot police deployed to disperse protesters.
Widespread damage was caused to public institutions, banks, businesses and public facilities in Tirana. The Ministry of Education, the Ministry of Justice and the central bank were among the institutions targeted.
Albanian police said on Friday that 56 people had been arrested in connection with the unrest, while another 97, including 16 minors, had been placed under criminal investigation.
The protests have spread to several cities across the country, further deepening political divisions between the government and the opposition over the unrest.
Prime Minister Edi Rama said he would not yield to violence and accused the opposition of seeking to exploit the protests to destabilize the country, according to Albanian media reports.
The latest protests have unfolded amid the broader "Flamingo" movement that began in late May. According to local media reports, the movement initially focused on opposition to a proposed tourism project in a protected coastal area in southern Albania linked to Jared Kushner, son-in-law of U.S. President Donald Trump.
The movement later expanded to address concerns over corruption, the cost of living, health care and education.
UN agencies in Albania called on all sides on Friday to end the violence, ease tensions and resolve differences through dialogue. ■