A large crowd of students and citizens moved toward Albania’s Prime Minister’s Office on Saturday as thick smoke and tear gas filled the capital’s central boulevard, marking a further escalation in the ongoing demonstrations.

The move followed approximately four hours of confrontations outside the Ministry of Education, where police reportedly deployed rubber bullets for the first time during the five days of protests. Several young demonstrators were reportedly injured, with witnesses describing injuries to the upper body and face.

The reported use of rubber bullets intensified tensions, prompting some protesters to throw stones and other hard objects toward police officers.

The crowd subsequently reorganized and marched toward the Prime Minister’s Office, where police forces were already positioned. Confrontations reportedly resumed as demonstrators reached the Lana River bridge.

As of 3:20 p.m. local time, clashes were continuing between protesters and police. Demonstrators were throwing stones toward police lines, while water cannon vehicles sprayed high-pressure water and officers deployed smoke grenades and tear gas.

The latest developments mark a significant escalation in the student-led demonstrations in Tirana, with tensions spreading from the Ministry of Education to the area surrounding the government headquarters.