In this task, a passage will be given and the goal is to identify an event from the passage. An event is defined as a single word representing something that happened, is happening, or may happen. An event can be factual or hypothetical, positive or negative, certain or uncertain. While most events are based on verbs, an event can also be based on a noun (ex. storm, snow, rainfall) or a copula verb (is, was, been, etc.). The event must not be a pronoun or an adjective. For noun events with multiple words, use the last word in the phrase as event.

Passage: Albania has been gripped by instability since anti-government protests over the collapse of bogus investment schemes turned into armed rebellion as insurgents took control of a string of towns in the south. Amid the anarchy, and given that Albania was already Europe's poorest country, many people are desperate to escape, anywhere and anyhow.

Show your work and conclude with the exact phrasing "Therefore, the final answer is [answer]." where [answer] is just the final number or expression that solves the problem.
user
gripped