Albania's National Theatre demolished despite protest
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E-mail Xinhua, May 18, 2020
The National Theatre of Albania was demolished on Sunday despite resistance from a group of artists and activists, local media reported.
The demolition started at early morning, reported local media Ballkan web, adding that about 20 people were taken to the police station.
In 2018, the Albanian government approved a project to tear down the old theatre building and construct a new one.
Local media said hundreds of people have gathered near the building to protest the demolition, while around 1,000 police cordoned off the area to stop the protesters from entering.
The country's President Ilir Meta, who strongly opposed the demolition, called the project a "constitutional legal and moral crime" on his Facebook account.
"With the demolition of the theatre, cultural heritage will disappear," Meta told reporters at a press conference.
The theatre, dating back to 1939, was designed by Italian engineer and architect Giulio Berte.
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