The faculty walkout follows a seventh day of violent clashes in which Rama offered unconditional talks with demonstrators while still refusing to step down. Earlier in the week, protesters hurled fireworks and Molotov cocktails that set a police officer on fire and ignited blazes at Police Station No. 3, offices in the Supreme Court building, two banks and the education, justice, finance and interior ministries, leaving 272 people injured, including 169 officers, and 388 charged.
Rama has warned that the violence threatens Albania's bid to join the European Union and alleged that Russia and Iran mobilized tens of thousands of fake social media profiles to stoke the unrest, which began months ago as the "Flamingo Revolution" against a luxury coastal resort backed by Jared Kushner.