The Albanian police used tear gas and water cannons against students calling for the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.

Albanian police used tear gas and water cannons on Tuesday against hundreds of students protesting in Tirana. The demonstrators called for the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama, better conditions at universities and support for young people. Approximately 12 people were arrested, according to local media.

The protest escalated after some participants threw stones, broke the windows of the Ministry of Education and set fire to garbage bins. Law enforcement intervened to disperse the crowd, while the authorities condemned the violence and damage caused during the demonstration.

The students expressed their dissatisfaction with tuition fees, conditions at universities, the lack of support for young people and social inequalities. They thus joined the wave of anti-government protests that began more than four months ago, following the emergence of a project to build a luxury hotel in a nature reserve on Albania’s coast.

The project is associated with Ivanka Trump and Jared Kushner, members of the family of U.S. President Donald Trump, and has fueled accusations of corruption and a lack of transparency. Deputy Prime Minister Albana Koçiu condemned the attacks on institutions and police, stating that violence cannot be a form of expression.

The demonstration in Tirana is taking place amid a broader wave of student activism in Europe, including in France, where students are protesting for more teachers, better facilities and adequate conditions in schools.