Student protests outside Albania’s Ministry of Education escalated, with demonstrators reportedly throwing Molotov cocktails at officers from the National Security Force, while police responded with tear gas, water cannons and rubber bullets.

Footage from the scene appears to show the escalation following the throwing of incendiary devices toward police officers. Authorities reportedly deployed rubber bullets for the first time during the five days of demonstrations.

Rubber bullets are non-lethal projectiles typically made of compressed rubber or plastic, or metal cores covered with rubber. However, they can cause serious injuries, particularly when fired at close range or aimed at vulnerable parts of the body.

One young protester who said he had been struck by a rubber bullet showed journalists a reddish, bloodied mark on his chest.

Although rubber bullets are designed as less-lethal weapons, their use carries significant risks. Strikes to the upper body, particularly the head and chest, can result in severe or potentially life-threatening injuries.

The escalation marks a new phase in the ongoing student demonstrations in the Albanian capital, as tensions between protesters and police intensify outside the Education Ministry.