The Ministry of Justice in Tirana was targeted in acts of vandalism during a protest on Wednesday evening, with windows smashed and the office providing free legal aid set on fire, according to Justice Minister Toni Gogu.

No ministry employees were injured in the incident, Gogu said, thanking firefighters and police officers for their intervention to protect lives and limit the damage.

The free legal aid office provides assistance to citizens who cannot afford to hire a lawyer, including pensioners, single mothers, young people and victims of violence.

In a public statement, Gogu said the greatest harm would fall not on the government, but on vulnerable citizens who rely on public institutions for legal support.

“Setting fire to a public office is not an exercise of the right to protest,” the minister said, adding that the competent authorities would determine individual responsibility in accordance with the law.

Gogu also stressed that young people have the right to protest and demand answers about education, employment and their future, warning against equating peaceful demonstrators with those responsible for violence.

Despite the damage, the minister said free legal aid services would continue on Wednesday. Citizens will be able to access assistance at the entrance to the Ministry of Justice or by calling the free helpline at 0800 10 10.