Police Allow Albanian Marches
Police stepped aside Saturday and let thousands of cheated investors march to demand that the government reimburse millions of dollars in losses from high-risk pyramid schemes and then resign.
“Down with the government!” and “Police are with us!” chanted about 1,000 people in Fier, 60 miles south of the capital, Tirana. Earlier, several thousand people marched through the port town of Vlore for an 11th day.
No riot police could be seen as the protesters marched from Fier’s town center to the prefecture, shouting slogans and waving to television cameras.
Many people trailed the procession along main streets, some fearing a repeat of attacks by civilians armed with clubs and iron bars last week.
Earlier in Vlore, about 4,000 people marched to the prefecture, carrying the picture of another demonstrator who died of a heart attack during protests last week.
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