Skënder Hita: 71 police officers injured during protests, violence will be punished under the law

State Police Director General Skënder Hita said at a press conference at the General Directorate of Police that 71 officers were injured in acts of violence recorded in Tirana over three days of protests.

Hita appealed to parents and teachers not to allow children and pupils to be used as shields during attacks on institutions and private property.

“An attack on a police uniform is an attack on the state and the rule of law. Everyone who has used violence against officers, as well as those who have damaged institutions or public and private property, will be identified and face the law.

I ask officers to show professionalism and restraint, not to give in to provocations, but at the same time not to back down. Protesters should distance themselves from masked and violent individuals, because responsibility is individual and each person will face the law.

Stop the violence against the police. Every such act puts the lives and health of citizens at risk. Our message is clear: restraint must not be mistaken for weakness. The police will not back down in the face of violence and will protect institutions and citizens,” Hita said.