Albanians have been protesting for more than 100 days against a luxury hotel project linked to Jared Kushner and Ivanka Trump.
Published September 8, 2026
Police in Albania’s capital Tirana clashed with demonstrators and prevented them from entering parliament, as a recent rally against a luxury development linked to US President Donald Trump’s family turned violent.
Tuesday’s march took place a day after the 100th day of demonstrations and as parliament was resuming after its summer recess. Demonstrators resisted police cordons in the center of the capital, throwing eggs and tomatoes at officers in riot gear.
Recommended stories
list of 3 itemsend of list
Since late May, angry Albanians have rallied against a vast luxury hotel planned for the coastal conservation area, a project linked to President Trump’s daughter Ivanka and her husband Jared Kushner.
Vehicles transporting lawmakers to the Capitol were met by crowds and hit with plastic bottles before police intervened and allowed the vehicles to pass.
Anti-government protests, dubbed the “Flamingo Revolution” after demonstrators’ signs depicting pink birds that could be harmed by coastal development, have shaken Albania.
Preparatory work has already caused irreparable damage to Albania’s once pristine coastline, destroying nesting habitat for birds and loggerhead sea turtles and putting them at risk of extinction, scientists and activists say.
Albanian authorities have declined to reveal details of Kushner’s role in the project, but Ivanka Trump has spoken out about her family’s involvement in the venture, describing it as an “incredible project.”
Critics claim the plan would also restrict public access to the beach.
The nightly protests in Tirana initially focused solely on development, but have since grown into a major challenge to the country’s long-ruling Socialist Party.
Prime Minister Edi Rama, the target of the demonstrations, strongly supports the investment project, saying it will help modernize the country after decades of communist isolation.
The demonstrators shouted, “Arrest the llamas!” During the clashes, police shuttled lawmakers to and from the Capitol.
Several demonstrators were detained, but it was not immediately clear whether any arrests were made.
