Foreign Affairs

Protesters Set Fire To Christmas Decorations After Police Fatally Shot A Man Breaking COVID-19 Regulations In Albania

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Hundreds of protesters set a Christmas tree on fire and knocked over other seasonal decorations in demonstrations Wednesday night after police fatally shot a man for not adhering to a COVID-19 curfew in Albania, Politico reported Thursday.

Protests started in Tirana, Albania, on Wednesday where protesters reportedly threw rocks at government buildings and flares at law enforcement officials before they were teargassed, according to Politico. Two protesters and 16 officers sustained injuries, and one officer was in serious condition.

Protesters demanded Prime Minister Edi Rama and Interior Minister Sandër Lleshaj’s resignations, Politico reported. The officer who shot the man has been arrested.

Lleshaj resigned over the incident out of “gratitude and respect for those who trusted me,” Politico reported.

Police shot a 25-year-old man when he didn’t stop after officers approached him for breaking curfew on Tuesday, Politico reported. Police claimed the man would not follow orders and that he was carrying a weapon they later referred to as an unidentified object.

“The police officer did not act according to the law while using his firearm,” the police department said in a statement, Politico reported. “The unacceptable episode of the killing of a citizen … cannot be exploited as a pretext to exercise blind violence, to seriously injure police offices and damage public and private property.”

Protests continued Thursday night with an increased police presence, Politico reported.

Outdoor gatherings of more than 10 people are not allowed under the Albanian government’s coronavirus restrictions, Politico reported. A curfew from 10 p.m. to 6 a.m. is in place.