Police fire water cannons at masked teen protesters as student riots spread across Italy and Albania

Tens of thousands of students took to the streets across Italy on Friday, with clashes erupting in Turin as several hundred masked demonstrators hurled rocks, glass bottles and torches at security forces. Police responded with water cannons and tear gas. The unrest has now spread to Albania, with protests also reported across France and Belgium.

The Italian riots were partly directed at a new education law by Prime Minister Giorgia Meloni's government that would limit foreign students with poor Italian language skills.

Protesters in Italy chanted French slogans including 'Tout le monde déteste la police' in solidarity with French students who have been demonstrating since late September.

Demonstrations remained peaceful in most Italian cities, including Rome and Milan, but Turin saw the worst violence, with eyewitnesses reporting hundreds of hooded protesters on the streets.