(ANSA) - BELGRADE, 13 OTT - A student and citizen protest outside the Ministry of Education in Tirana quickly escalated into violent clashes with police. The crowd, which numbered in the hundreds, chanted anti-government slogans before throwing firecrackers, ink, eggs and paving stones torn from the sidewalk. Windows in the ministry were shattered. The building's metal fence was also demolished, allowing groups of hooded protesters to enter the courtyard. Police then intervened with water cannons to disperse the crowd, which responded by throwing stones, including at the officers themselves. In a statement issued before the protest, the government was accused of transforming "the parliamentary republic into a tyranny that produces only discontent and rotten institutions." (ANSA).