The Director of the Department for Public Order and Security, Dhimitraq Ziu, said in a public statement on Friday that 127 people have so far been arrested in Tirana, while another 244 have been placed under investigation without being detained.
The senior police official also stated that the Cybercrime Investigation and Counterterrorism units have identified several communication channels and groups through which messages containing explicitly criminal content have been circulated, including calls to carry out extreme and terrorist acts.
“So far:
In Tirana, 127 people have been arrested and 244 others have been placed under investigation without being detained for acts of violence against police officers, damage to state institutions, destruction of public and private property, as well as damage to ATMs, surveillance cameras, vehicles and metal barriers.
In Durrës, 23 people have been arrested at the scene and another 12 have been placed under criminal investigation for resisting and attacking police officers with blunt objects, as well as damaging state institutions and public and private property using blunt objects and fire.
In Korçë, two people have been arrested and 23 others have been placed under investigation without being detained for resisting and attacking police officers and damaging state institutions and public property using blunt objects and fire.
In Vlorë, 20 people have been placed under investigation without being detained for obstructing classes at several schools in the city, resisting police officers, striking the façade of an institution with blunt objects and damaging public property.
In Shkodër, nine people have been placed under investigation without being detained for resisting and attacking police officers with blunt objects, as well as damaging state institutions and public and private property using blunt objects and fire.
During the protest, a public order police officer was seriously injured and is currently receiving medical treatment at the Trauma Hospital in Tirana. The perpetrator has been identified but has not been arrested due to being a minor.
In Elbasan, six people have been placed under investigation without being detained for damaging the windows of a state institution, road signs, advertising boards and public property.
In Kukës, 10 people have been placed under investigation without being detained for damaging road signs and advertising boards.
Meanwhile, a total of 120 police officers have been injured so far as a result of violence against police personnel in Tirana, Durrës, Lezhë, Shkodër and Kukës.
Beyond the incidents on the ground, specialised Cybercrime Investigation and Counterterrorism units have immediately begun examining online activity.
During intensive monitoring, several communication channels and groups have been identified through which messages containing explicitly criminal content have been circulated, including calls to commit extreme and terrorist acts, as well as direct threats against the lives of State Police officers.
Criminal proceedings have been immediately initiated in connection with these extremely dangerous criminal activities.
We are also working closely with international partner agencies to trace IP addresses, identify the administrators of these channels and establish the identities of users calling for violence and terrorist acts.
The use of social media through anonymous accounts must not and will not be allowed to serve extremist, violent or terrorist individuals and groups, both within Albania and abroad.
These individuals are currently the subject of a highly detailed and confidential investigation aimed at assessing their intentions and actions, which could destabilise the country and pose serious risks to society and its future.
The State Police also expresses regret over the spread of false and malicious information intended to exploit nationalist sentiments, create a climate of conflict and undermine public trust in the State Police.”
Senior police official Dhimitraq Ziu told reporters that 127 people had been arrested during four days of protests in Tirana on allegations of property destruction and resisting police officers.
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