ALBAWABA — Violent clashes erupted in Albania's capital on Thursday as thousands of demonstrators took to the streets to protest a controversial luxury resort project linked to the family of U.S. President Donald Trump, leaving several police officers injured and dozens of protesters arrested.
Protesters gathered outside parliament in Tirana demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama, accusing his government of pushing forward a development project they say threatens a protected natural reserve. Security forces responded with tear gas, pepper spray and water cannons after demonstrators threw stones, eggs and plastic bottles at officers.
Authorities reported multiple injuries among police and dozens of arrests following the unrest, though official figures varied. Albanian Interior Minister Besfort Lamallari condemned what he described as criminal violence against law enforcement, warning that attacks on police represent attacks on the state.
The demonstrations began in late May as environmental protests against a luxury resort backed by Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner, planned inside the protected Zvërnec Nature Reserve on Albania's Adriatic coast. Protesters argue the project would threaten the habitat of protected flamingos and other wildlife.
What started as an environmental campaign has since evolved into a broader anti-government movement, with thousands regularly marching through Tirana carrying flamingo-shaped signs and accusing the government of prioritizing luxury investment over environmental protection.
The Albanian government has defended the development, saying it will boost high-end tourism, attract foreign investment and support the country's ambitions to join the European Union. However, environmental groups and opposition activists continue to call for the project to be halted, arguing that the protected coastline should remain untouched.
