Student protests spread across Europe as police launch water cannons in clashes across Italy and Albania

Gen Z student protests have spread across Europe as scenes of police clashing with young people and shooting water cannons at crowds are seen in several major cities. Scenes of students taking to the streets started at the end of September in France as young people held protests against underfunding in education. Dramatic scenes from French cities of young people being confronted by riot police as cops make arrests have spread across the continent in countries including Italy, Albania and Belgium. Thousands of raging students in Italy chanted against the right-wing government as they were hit with water cannons in chaos across several cities. Young Italians were pictured launching rocks, petrol bombs and firecrackers at police as they protests against school conditions, the cost of living and war. Others were seen spraying fire extinguishers at riot cops while some lit fires in the streets. In Rome, students marched to the Ministry of Education before throwing smoke bombs and firecrackers at the building. They also chanted against the education minister Giuseppe Valditara, saying: "Valditara, get out of the building." Police in Rome warned that they were using video footage to identify those involved in violence, saying: "The actions of this minority group, however, did not impact the effectiveness of the public order management strategy." In Turin, police used water cannons against protesters and launched tear gas into the famous Piazza Castello, as some young people hurled rocks at cops. Thousands also marched to the Regional School Office where some students flung eggs at police. Similar clashes were seen nationwide, in a day dubbed "No Meloni Day", as demonstrators also rallied against right-wing prime minister Giorgia Meloni. Chaos was seen in Genoa, Venice, Padua and Bari. Marchers, in a statement, said: "In our schools, every day we see dilapidated buildings, cancelled school assemblies, and a lack of spaces for social interaction and democracy, with all the consequences of the funds invested in the war sector and diverted from schools, universities, and healthcare due to the policies of this warmongering government." Violent scenes have run into their fourth day in Albania as dramatic images showed anti-riot police clashing with protesters in the capital Tirana. Students joined anti-government protesters, who have been demonstrating for months against a luxury tourism project linked to Donald Trump's son-in-law Jared Kushner - in a protected area of the coastline. Dramatic scenes showed youths, seeking education reform, hurling rocks at a police outside the Education Ministry, as riot cops responded with tear gas and water cannons. Though initially peaceful, the rallies turned violent when confronting police cordons. Protesters, on Wednesday, started a fire inside the Education Ministry and attacked several government buildings. Police have detained several demonstrators. Protesters in masks aimed fireworks at government offices and set fire to trash bins, sending thick clouds of smoke into the air. National police chief Skender Hita, on Thursday, said 71 officers had been injured. Albania's Prime Minister Edi Rama on Thursday issued a video message from a burned-out college building, saying: "No one can grab Albania by the throat. Anyone who thinks the law does not apply to them is mistaken." As smaller clashes broke out in at least three other Albanian cities, the country's education minister, Mirela Kumbaro, in a video said: "As minister of education, but also as a mother, I want to share with you a call for cooperation. While the 'dark hands' create dark smoke with destructive actions against public properties and private businesses, we must not let our children near that smoke." Last week, student protests in Belgium also turned violent as police used tear gas to disperse crowds of young people demonstrating against tuition fees and budget cuts. They were joined by labour unions demonstrating against budgetary measures from the government. Police made over a dozen arrests as clashes in Brussels escalated.