Tirana, the capital of Albania, has witnessed extended demonstrations by the anti-government Flamingo movement, yet the actions beginning Tuesday reached an unprecedented intensity.

Clashes have now extended past Tirana to encompass major urban centers including Durrës, Shkodër, Korçë and Vlora.

Fresh rallies were framed as a student initiative calling for government steps to ease education costs, textbook prices and broader living expenses.

High schools also took part, boosting turnout significantly.

Masked demonstrators soon hurled rocks at officers, prompting use of water cannon, tear gas and batons in response.

Many grew furious after footage showed a young man being removed with a fractured leg swinging in pain.

Regrets were issued yet failed to ease tensions.

A level of the education ministry was set ablaze, along with additional state offices.

Flamingo activists insist they hold no ties to political groups, with one chant demanding jail for both Rama and Berisha, the prime minister and the chief opposition figure respectively.

Participants ranged from youth to elders, including families and grandparents, and some took satisfaction in tidying streets after each evening.

Following months of action amid a sweltering summer, attendance fell without any government concessions.

The latest wave shows far greater aggression, leaving dozens of officers injured while European observers monitor developments in a leading EU candidate nation.

Several young demonstrators informed the BBC that current events represent a fresh stage emerging from the earlier campaign.

Five months of nonviolent action met only humiliation and derision, noted one participant named Livia, signaling the government would not permit their concerns to be voiced.

Another, Brunela, expressed fear over future developments, stating concern about media and official reactions while emphasizing it reflected the voice of Albanian youth.

Some crossover between the movements likely exists despite no public confirmation from Flamingo organizers or student representatives.

Core issues center on corruption, which the prime minister insists must be handled by judicial processes.

Rama has visited affected sites and attributed the disorder to Sali Berisha, accusing the same forces of strangling the opposition and repeatedly harming the country out of irrational animosity.

The prime minister has rejected any resignation, vowing to heed valid grievances while advancing national progress.

Berisha's Democratic Party has repeatedly sought to rally support against Rama, though its core backers remain fewer than current crowds.

Doubts persist about Berisha orchestrating the unrest, even if he aims to benefit from it.

Albanian outlets have floated possible foreign intelligence involvement.

Baseless claims have targeted Serbia, suggesting envy over Albania's EU prospects.

Without naming parties, Rama echoed such views on Friday, asserting external actors oppose Albanian stability and EU integration, noting flames erupt whenever progress toward that goal occurs.