Albania’s opposition Democratic Party organised a protest against the year-long ban on social network TikTok on March 15. 

The decision to ban access to the popular video sharing site was announced by Minister of Education Ogerta Manastirliu, following the stabbing of a 14-year-old in the capital Tirana, which heightened fears about the influence of digital platforms on young people.

14-year-old Martin Cani was fatally stabbed by a peer after a dispute that allegedly started online. Another teenager was also injured in the incident, which prompted a wave of public outrage.

The Democrats have accused Prime Minister Edi Rama’s ruling Socialist Party of exploiting the tragedy to tighten control over online speech ahead of this year’s general election. 

Speaking to journalists ahead of the protest, the deputy leader of the Democratic Party, Flamur Noka, claimed Rama was “afraid of free speech”.

"Edi Rama's goal was to eliminate every social network that tells the truth. TikTok is a platform that tears Edi Rama's mask. Whatever he does, Rama will remain in history as the enemy of free speech and the enemy of Albanians as a whole," said Noka, reported Top-Channel TV.

The protest took place on Deshmoret e Kombit Boulevard in front of the prime minister’s office.

Tirana police announced ahead of the protest the closure of  several roads in Tirana city centre, and called on citizens to avoid the area. Several previous protests have ended with violent clashes between police and demonstrators. 

Democratic Party leader Sali Berisha urged young people to participate in the rally, to demand the lifting of the decision to block TikTok.

"Edi Rama was branded today as a fierce enemy of freedom," Berisha said at the end of the protest. 

"Edi Rama today received the final punishment, today he was branded as a fierce enemy, not of TikTok, but an enemy of freedom, of Albanian youth.” 

However, according to local media reports, while Democratic Party supporters attended the protest, overall numbers were relatively low. Top-Channel reports that the event ended before the scheduled ending time of 9pm local time. 

Rama mocked the protest in a post on Facebook, asking Berisha why he didn’t go live on TikTok.