Fiks Fare spoke exclusively with 22-year-old Klevi Metaj, who was confronted by 6 police officers a few days ago, during the student protest in front of the Ministry of Education.
Handcuffed from his bed at the Trauma Hospital, Klevi says that the police spotted him and followed him for several minutes, shooting him repeatedly.
Although the Tirana Court imposed the security measure of "house arrest" on him, Klevi continues to be held in the hospital, and two State Police officers are even in the room. He says that currently there is no major physical damage, as he recounts the entire episode in detail.
The student says that his reaction, captured on video and made into a meme on social media, came about due to the constant provocations of the police, who fired whatever they could.
"I was far away at first and I was supporting the people. They intervened with stones, tear gas, and so on. The people scattered. I looked around me, those who had stayed had opened their arms," says Klevi.
He adds that everyone was moving quickly, as they could not stand the tear gas.
"And when the police came in a spacesuit and all, look, I was the only one left there. I threw stones at them, I threw everything. I was angry that they threw that tear gas at me. They picked one of them... I was running away, I was about to run to the square, one of them picked me up, he came and hit me in the legs with a stick. I said don't shoot, I said don't shoot. I kept running. He got worse, he hit me in the back. I got angry, I threw one of them. With improvised means. And, they left work together with the boss here," says the student.
He further adds that both sides have faults. "It's not solved this way. These things are complicated. If we had been angry with you for a long time (referring to the prime minister), they wouldn't have voted for him at all. And he's the one who's throwing that punch. Here you have everyone corrupt and it's not solved by protest. Protest is saying that you can't do as you want," he adds.
The 22-year-old says that a concrete solution is needed, while casting doubts about the involvement of politics in the protest. You understand. You are there for something concrete, what will be solved by destroying it. At first, the police stood and watched, there were 2-3 people. Now they started throwing eggs and when they armed themselves a little more, they started throwing stones in vain without any connection. Now from the moment on, from the adrenaline, they take anyone who comes in front of them," he says further.
Klevi also shows us the documents from the Tirana Prosecutor's Office file. There are a multitude of charges; destruction of property, assault on duty, disturbing public peace, organizing and participating in illegal gatherings and demonstrations. Not even the biggest criminals have these charges. The charges continue; production, possession, purchase or sale of cold weapons without a permit. A large criminal file.
Not only these accusations, but the 22-year-old has 2 police officers in his room. Politicians accused of corruption are not guarded by anyone. Neither at home nor in the hospital. Not only the police, but the student has also been handcuffed, in the hospital bed. In the end, after the conversation, the police officers who are in his room tell him that he risks 5 years in prison. Not even those who have stolen millions of euros or have serious charges against them, risk 5 years in prison. /TCH
