Police in Albania used tear gas and water cannons to break up protests on Thursday against a planned resort linked to US President Donald Trump’s family.
It was the latest escalation of the so-called “Flamingo Revolution,” which has seen near-daily protests against a major development backed by Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner in the ecologically protected area of Zvernec on Albania’s southern coast.
At least 18 people were detained on Thursday, police said, while 12 officers were injured as some protesters threw eggs, rocks and other objects outside the parliament in Tirana.
Interior Minister Besfort Lamallari condemned “the acts of vandalism and criminal violence” against the police.
Protesters have accused the government of not listening to their concerns.
“The protesters want their voice to be heard inside [the parliament], as the prime minister for so many days has not heard them and has ignored them,” one of the protesters, Agustela Thoma, told the Associated Press.
Why are Albanians protesting in the ‘Flamingo Revolution’?
The Sazan Island Resort, dubbed locally as “Kushner Island,” was first unveiled in 2024, but the latest wave of protests began this year after barbed-wire fencing and bulldozers appeared on a beach.
Protesters initially focused on the potential environmental damage of the resort, which threatens a flamingo habitat.
But the demonstrations have since morphed into a broader movement in opposition to the government of Socialist Prime Minister Edi Rama, who has been in power since 2013 and has been accused of not doing enough to stamp out corruption.
The government claims the resort would be a boon for the luxury tourism sector and has condemned the ongoing protests.
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“The beautiful protest of citizenship, patriotism, and unity has now given way to the old film of conflict, strife, and violence,” Rama said on X.
In an interview with DW on Wednesday, Rama was asked about his response to protesters’ concerns.
“Yes, we have made changes to the law,” he said. But guess what? We didn’t change the substance of the law, and our changes are not in breach of European standards and criteria.”
Edited by: Sean Sinico
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