Numerous police forces enclosed the 5 Maji neighborhood in Tirana in the early hours of the morning today after citizens protested against the demolition of their houses.

The residents blocked the diggers’ path to prevent the demolition of the buildings to make space for a development project.

Some of the residents were escorted violently by the police after they objected the demolition of their houses.

The intervention started at three after midnight with the cut-off of the electric power from the buildings planed to be pulled down. The project includes the demolition of 400 buildings.

The residents said they have not signed anything and they had their belongings removed from their homes.