Dozens of Albanians living in the United States gathered in Times Square in New York to protest the sentences handed down by the Kosovo Specialist Chambers in The Hague against former Kosovo President Hashim Thaçi and three former leaders of the Kosovo Liberation Army.

Protesters carried Albanian flags, KLA flags, and banners featuring images of Hashim Thaçi, Jakup Krasniqi, Kadri Veseli and Rexhep Selimi.

Messages displayed during the protest included “Freedom for Our Liberators,” while other signs questioned why Serbian war crimes suspects had not faced similar accountability.

The demonstration came one day after the Hague court announced its judgment in the case against the four former KLA leaders.

Thaçi and Krasniqi were each sentenced to 25 years in prison. Veseli received an 18-year sentence, while Selimi was sentenced to 13 years.

The four men have been held in The Hague since their arrests in 2020 and have denied the charges against them.

The protest in New York reflects continued support among parts of the Albanian-American community for the former KLA leaders and opposition to the Hague proceedings.