The prestigious news network "Al Jazeera" has published footage of the police rape of a protester at Saturday's rally.
“Police in the Albanian capital, Tirana, were filmed beating a protester who was lying on the ground. Local media say he was knocked unconscious. Journalists and other protesters rushed to check on him and called an ambulance,” Al Jazeera writes .
Meanwhile, in a longer article, the well-known news network emphasizes that more than 300 protesters and police officers have been injured in the fiercest clashes that have occurred in recent days in the Albanian capital.
Protesters clashed with police who used tear gas and water cannons to disperse the crowds. Several government buildings were attacked, dozens of demonstrators were arrested and more than 300 protesters and police were injured, authorities said Saturday.
Protesters and police have clashed regularly since a significant wave of protests began in mid-October over poor school conditions and the cost of living in the small Balkan country.
While protests in Tirana had calmed down in recent days, Saturday's demonstration escalated the situation again, with police using water cannons, tear gas and rubber bullets against the crowds.
Thousands of people had heeded the organizers' calls for students and others across Albania to participate in the rally. Various groups, including university professors, artists, and opposition parties, announced their support or participation.
The country's Ministry of Education has become a focal point of the rallies, and at Saturday's rally some in the crowd threw rocks and rolled burning cauldrons toward the building.
Police had imposed increased security measures around the capital on Saturday, with checks being carried out on cars heading into the city, local media reported.
Albania has seen intermittent anti-government protests since May, when news broke of a luxury hotel project linked to the family of United States President Donald Trump.
Protesters target the prime minister
Since then, public anger has turned into a broader push against corruption and the high cost of living, with protesters demanding the resignation of Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama.
Rama has blamed "foreign actors" for the violence and accused both Russia and Iran of spreading disinformation online.
The prime minister has called for dialogue, and on Saturday red pillows were placed outside the government headquarters in a symbolic gesture for conversation and dialogue. Protesters later set the pillows on fire.
Protesters have blamed the entire political class for the crisis, while some of them are seen holding banners condemning Rama's opposition, the center-right leader Sali Berisha.
