A citizen identified by a pro-government media outlet as one of the alleged participants in the attack on Police Station No. 3 in Tirana has publicly denied the accusations, insisting he was not even in the capital when the incident took place.
The controversy emerged after socialist journalist Mero Baze published an article on his news portal claiming that several protesters had been identified in connection with the attack on Police Station No. 3 during the latest demonstrations in Tirana. The article also alleged that one of the individuals pictured had previously appeared in a photograph with John Alite.
Following the publication, one of the citizens named in the report responded by rejecting the allegations and claiming he had been wrongly identified.
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In a video statement sent to a newsroom, the man said he has been in the southern city of Gjirokastër for the past three days and therefore could not have been involved in the events outside Police Station No. 3 in Tirana.
"I have been in Gjirokastër for three days, yet Tema writes that I was involved in last night's attacks on Police Station No. 3. I have proof that I am here. The person in the photo is someone else, not me," the citizen said.
He added that the photograph used to identify him was actually taken during a peaceful protest in which he had participated on a previous occasion.
"My photo is from a peaceful protest, just like thousands of other Albanian citizens. It has absolutely nothing to do with violence," he stated.
The citizen acknowledged that he has attended previous demonstrations and said he intends to continue exercising his right to protest. However, he firmly denied any involvement in acts of violence or the unrest reported outside the police station.
The claims and counterclaims come amid heightened political tensions in Albania, where recent protests have sparked sharp exchanges between government supporters, opposition figures, and media outlets over the events that unfolded in the capital.