Thousands of protesters gathered in Albania's capital on June 3 for a fourth consecutive day of demonstrations against a planned luxury resort development on the country's southern coast, with clashes erupting between police and demonstrators as opposition to the project widened at home and abroad.

The protests centre on plans for a tourism development linked to US investor Jared Kushner's Affinity Partners near Zvërnec, close to the ecologically sensitive Vjosa-Narta wetland system on Albania's Adriatic coast.

Demonstrators carrying cardboard and inflatable flamingos, symbols of the protected lagoon's birdlife, marched through central Tirana under the banner of a "Flamingo Revolution". Protesters breached police barriers and advanced toward Prime Minister Edi Rama's office, prompting officers to deploy water cannons to disperse the crowd, according to Top-Channel TV.

The unrest follows earlier confrontations near the project site, where environmental activists and local residents accuse developers and authorities of threatening one of the Mediterranean's most important coastal ecosystems.

Environmental groups argue that large-scale tourism projects, together with other infrastructure developments in the area, could damage habitats used by migratory birds, including flamingos, as well as seals and sea turtles.

Developers reject those concerns. "Our focus remains on responsible stewardship, environmental enhancement, job creation, and creating long-term value for local communities. We respect the ongoing public and institutional processes," said Asher Abehsera, chairman of Sazan Real Estate Development LLC, which is developing the project with Affinity Partners, told Reuters.

Rama has also strongly defended the investment, portraying it as vital to Albania's economic development.

In an interview with CNN International, Rama dismissed reports of nationwide unrest and rejected claims that the development represented a takeover of protected areas by the family of US President Donald Trump, Kushner’s father-in-law.

"There are no protests all over Albania. There is a protest in the capital," Rama said. "There is no such thing as a 'Trump family island'. There is no such thing as the US president's family taking over protected areas with flamingos."

The prime minister argued that Albania was facing a coordinated disinformation campaign, saying the country was "under attack" by competitors and online networks spreading false information.

The protests have increasingly evolved beyond environmental concerns. Organisers say opposition to the development reflects broader frustrations over transparency, corruption, governance and the rule of law.

An open letter signed by academics from Albania and the wider region described the movement as a non-partisan mobilisation bringing together environmental activists, students, researchers and civil society groups. The letter also referenced an ongoing investigation by Albania's anti-corruption prosecutors into aspects of the project.

“The protests … extend beyond environmental concerns. For the first time in decades, citizens from diverse political and social backgrounds have united independently of both the ruling government and the traditional opposition, in response to growing frustration with lack of transparency, corruption, weakening democratic institutions, state capture, and the erosion of the rule of law,” the letter says.

Demonstrations are expected to spread internationally. Organisers have announced rallies in cities including Berlin, Munich, Stockholm, Milan, Florence, London, New York and Toronto, where members of the Albanian diaspora plan to join the campaign under the slogan "We Have No Land to Sell”.

Kushner first unveiled plans for the Albanian resort project in 2024 as part of a broader regional investment strategy. A separate development proposal in Serbia was later abandoned following public opposition, and the launch of a corruption probe.