Anti-government protests in Albania entered their 101st consecutive day on Tuesday, with citizens gathering outside the Albanian Parliament from the early morning hours.
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Among those taken into custody were Adriatik Lapaj, leader of the “Shqipëria Bëhet” party, and lecturer and activist Shpend Gashi. The two were taken to Police Station No. 6 in Tirana following the afternoon protest outside Parliament.
Lapaj and Gashi later shared a video from inside the police station, saying ironically that “Rama decorated us today,” referring to their detention.
Dozens of other protesters were also arrested or escorted to police stations.
Protest Turns Into Civil Disobedience
By the evening, the protest had escalated into civil disobedience, with demonstrators blocking several of Tirana’s main roads.
Protesters are demanding that police release those who have been arrested, saying the roads will remain blocked until the detained protesters are freed.
Despite the police intervention and arrests, demonstrations continued into the night, marking 101 consecutive days of protests without interruption against the government of Prime Minister Edi Rama.
The developments in Tirana signal a new phase of the protests, as demonstrators move beyond gatherings outside Parliament and begin using road blockades as a form of civil disobedience.