Violent clashes erupted between police and demonstrators outside Albania’s parliament on Thursday, as protests against a controversial resort development linked to US President Donald Trump’s family threatened to escalate. Police used a water cannon and pepper spray to break up the crowd, while nine officers were injured by projectiles thrown by protesters, according to police statements.
Background of the Protests
Since late May, protests have been held against the construction of a luxury hotel linked to Trump’s daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner in a nature reserve in Zvernec, on Albania’s southwestern coast. The planned resort was first unveiled in 2024, but the latest wave of protests began after barbed-wire fencing and bulldozers appeared on beaches in late May.
Thursday's Clashes
For the second time this week, large groups of protesters gathered outside the country’s parliament in an attempt to confront lawmakers and block entry to the building. Hundreds of demonstrators were met with lines of riot police who pushed them back from the building, leading to clashes and several arrests, according to AFP journalists at the scene. People were also seen smashing the windows of an empty police car in a nearby street as the crowd was pushed away from the area.
Earlier Protests and Escalation
It comes after six protesters were arrested on Tuesday when demonstrators lobbed eggs at lawmakers’ cars. The violence is a marked contrast to the overwhelmingly peaceful daily gatherings that have drawn thousands to the streets since the movement began.
Political and Environmental Concerns
Opposition to the project has become a flashpoint for anger over perceived corruption, with protesters calling for Prime Minister Edi Rama to step down over what they describe as a lack of transparency. The resort is planned on an environmentally sensitive part of the Adriatic coast, raising concerns among environmentalists and local communities.
