Tensions flared during Albania's first National Protest Assembly on Saturday, as disagreements over the event's organization and participant representation disrupted the gathering.

Several attendees openly criticized the way the meeting was organized, arguing that it failed to reflect the broader protest movement. One participant claimed that the assembly did not adequately represent younger demonstrators.

"The average age here is over 45. I don't see anyone from the protest march here. We were never informed," the attendee said during the meeting.

The session was further interrupted when several participants demanded the opportunity to speak but were denied the floor. Organizers responded by insisting that the event would proceed according to its planned agenda.

"We have an agenda, and we will not allow anyone to disrupt this meeting," one organizer said.

The moderator stressed that the assembly was intended to be open to all citizens and described it as an inclusive public forum. However, the atmosphere became more confrontational after one organizer, while being interrupted, delivered a sharply worded response to critics.

"I wasn't intimidated when I had 300 people standing against me, let alone now. Don't challenge us or mistake our restraint for weakness," the organizer said, prompting strong reactions from those in attendance.

Another confrontation broke out when a participant attempted to take a seat in the front row. Three men reportedly moved to prevent him from doing so, although the attendee refused to leave his seat despite repeated requests from organizers.

After the situation calmed, organizers shifted the discussion back to the goals of the protest movement. One speaker argued that demonstrations alone would not be enough to achieve meaningful political change.

"We have to move beyond the public square. We overcame fear in the square, but what comes next? We must avoid repeating Serbia's experience, where people protested for years without achieving real change," the organizer said.

The assembly continued after the disturbances, although disagreements among participants remained evident.