Albanian police fire rubber bullets as protests against Rama escalate

BREAKING: Albanian police fire rubber bullets for the first time at protesters in Tirana as a fifth day of clashes escalates, with students joining a growing movement demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.

Albanian police fired rubber bullets at protesters in Tirana for the first time today.

This is day five. Students have joined months of antigovernment rallies, and these pictures show riot police with shields holding the line on the streets of the capital. Protesters threw stones, petrol bombs and fireworks near the prime minister's office, cars burned, and police answered with tear gas, water cannon and baton charges. The police chief says 167 people have been arrested and 132 officers injured. Seven officers are suspended for allegedly going too far.

At the heart of it is Edi Rama, in power since 2013, now in his fourth term, and refusing to resign. Students are angry about fees, jobs and corruption, and today they burned a suitcase and threw it into the Education Ministry's courtyard. The message was simple. They don't want to have to leave Albania to build a life.

Rama says he'll listen. The streets say he's had thirteen years to do that.

This is Liu Yang, reporting for HIT.