Anti-government protesters battle with police in Albania

Anti-government protests escalate in Albania's capital, Tirana, with violent clashes between demonstrators and riot police.

The full report

Protests in Albania's capital, Tirana, have grown into a wider anti-government movement, with demonstrators calling for Prime Minister Edi Rama to resign following corruption allegations linked to his administration.

The protests, which began in the summer, have intensified over the past five days, with violent clashes between masked protesters and riot police. Demonstrators have hurled rocks and petrol bombs at the police, who have responded with water cannon and volleys of tear gas.

The police have also used rubber bullets, which were reportedly used for the first time during the protests. The crowds have been equipped with gas masks and face masks, as well as syringes of saline eyewash to reduce the pain from the tear gas.

The focus of the protests shifted to the office of Prime Minister Edi Rama on the city's main boulevard, where the crowds swelled to far larger numbers than on previous days. Riot police faced a steady hail of cobble stones and fireworks, and responded with barrage after barrage of tear gas.

The clashes have caused panic among the crowds, with some canisters of tear gas landing far back in the crowds. Demonstrators have waited for the gas to clear before renewing their attacks, with black smoke from a burning vehicle and the sirens of police cars and ambulances filling the air.

As dusk fell, police special forces arrived to reinforce the riot police. The protests are ongoing, with no indication of when they will subside.