Tensions escalated along Dëshmorët e Kombit Boulevard in Albania’s capital as student protesters faced off against police near the Prime Minister’s Office, with tear gas reportedly deployed amid rising unrest.

According to reports from the scene, some students were seen carrying iron bars as they moved toward the government headquarters. Police vans were also seen heading toward the boulevard, where three water-cannon trucks and dozens of police vehicles were reported to be deployed.

Police officers fired tear gas as tensions intensified, according to on-the-ground reports. Students, however, did not retreat and continued to stand opposite security forces.

The latest clashes follow a morning operation in which municipal workers removed stones from the boulevard in an effort to prevent protesters from using them during the demonstration.

Despite the cleanup, demonstrators reportedly returned to the area carrying stones and metal barriers as confrontations with police continued.

The developments mark a further escalation in the protests in Tirana, with the situation around the government headquarters remaining tense.