The Image Allegedly Showing Protests in Tirana Was Generated Using Artificial Intelligence

Protests that began in Zvernec, Albania, on May 23, 2026, quickly spread to several cities across the country. On May 30, 2026, thousands of demonstrators gathered in the capital, Tirana, to protest the sale of a beach in Zvernec as part of a tourism project reportedly linked to U.S. President Donald Trump’s daughter, Ivanka Trump, and son-in-law, Jared Kushner. These protests have been publicly referred to as the “Flamingo Revolution.”

Content related to the protests in Albania has been widely circulated across various social media platforms. One such post was shared on June 4, 2026, by the user @SalisIlaria on X. The image posted by the user received over 52,000 views, more than 2,500 likes, and 734 reposts.

 

 

The image was claimed to depict tens of thousands of people participating in protests in Tirana. However, subsequent investigation revealed that the photograph was not authentic and had been generated using artificial intelligence. The image was analyzed using HIVE Moderation, which confirmed that it was AI-generated.

 

In conclusion, the photograph shared on X on June 4, 2026, allegedly showing protests in Tirana, was artificially generated. This case demonstrates how AI-generated images can be presented as authentic by associating them with ongoing political and social events. Therefore, it is essential to verify the accuracy of visual content—particularly in the context of politically sensitive and widely discussed events—by consulting reliable sources and using technical verification tools.