Albanian Police Use Tear Gas Against Protesters Over Trump Family Resort Project
Albanian police used tear gas and water cannons on Thursday to disperse protesters against a luxury resort project linked to Donald Trump's family. Six police officers and 11 protesters were lightly injured.
Clashes erupted in the Albanian capital Tirana on Thursday between police and demonstrators protesting outside parliament against a planned resort project. Police used tear gas and water cannons to push back protesters who attempted to break through security cordons and approach the parliament building.
The protests against the construction of a luxury hotel complex in a nature reserve on the Adriatic coast have been ongoing since late May. The project is linked to US President Donald Trump's daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner.
In recent weeks, demonstrators have clashed with police and even tried to throw eggs at members of parliament. According to protesters, preparatory work for the project has already caused irreversible damage to a previously untouched stretch of coastline, destroying nesting sites for birds and turtles.
During Thursday's clashes, six police officers and 11 protesters sustained minor injuries and received medical treatment at a Tirana hospital, the Health Ministry reported.
The demonstration began before a parliamentary vote on a four-million-euro subsidy for a Kanye West concert held in Tirana this month. In a chaotic session, 80 out of 140 lawmakers approved the subsidy – all from the ruling Socialist Party.
Prime Minister Edi Rama had previously promised the funding, saying it was necessary to prevent the concert's cancellation. Its approval in parliament further fueled protesters' anger.
