On a hot August night in Tirana, hundreds of Albanians fill the capital’s streets. It is day 65 of an ongoing protest movement that has shaken the Balkan country since May. Albanian flags ripple over the crowds alongside a less conventional symbol: pink flamingos, the emblem of what’s become Albania’s largest social rebellion since communism collapsed 35 years ago.
The protests began with coastal communities around Zvërnec’s Narta Lagoon and Sazan Island opposing a mega luxury resort project linked to Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner and daughter Ivanka Trump. The development threatens fragile ecosystems, including wetlands home to migratory flamingos, seals and sea turtles. With the government accused of fast-tracking the project and changing rules around protected land, the local campaign soon spread its wings in Tirana.
