Hita: 132 police officers injured in protests, 5 today; one officer with multiple fractures in the mouth and jaw

A total of 132 police officers have been injured during protests in Tirana, Shkodër and Lezhë. The figures were made public by the Director General of the State Police, Skënder Hita, who said that some officers continue to receive medical treatment in hospital.

According to Hita, five police officers were injured today alone. One of them sustained serious injuries to the mouth and jaw, suffering multiple fractures.

Condemning the attacks on police officers, the police chief said that several of the objects protesters had used to strike them had been seized. He listed stones, stone slabs, metal objects, metal balls fired with slingshots, pyrotechnic materials, Molotov cocktails and other objects used to attack police officers during the days of demonstrations.

Hita stressed that the number of injured and wounded police officers is very high, and that most of the injuries caused by violence were recorded in Tirana, while cases were also reported in Shkodër and Lezhë.

He spoke out against injuries to both protesters and police officers, noting that some police officers had been hurt as seriously as the protesters. According to him, it cannot be accepted that police officers, who have the right to protect institutions, lives, property and businesses, should become the targets of massive and unprecedented attacks.

In the interests of maintaining public order and security, as well as protecting lives and property, Hita called on those involved in acts of violence to immediately end their unlawful actions. At the same time, he urged citizens to distance themselves from violent individuals, stressing that they do not represent the students or their aspirations.