Youth demonstrations organized by the Gen-Z regelt ("Generation Z Decides") movement in Germany's largest cities escalated into riots by the evening of October 31, the website infohub.kz reports.
According to the publication, in Frankfurt am Main some protesters smashed shop windows and clashed with police, 56 people were detained in Berlin for offenses, and in Cologne law enforcement officers banned a march.
In total, rallies were held in more than 30 German cities. According to organizers, more than 100,000 people took part. Among the protesters' demands are improving the quality of education, measures against the rising cost of living, more active climate protection, and easier access to psychotherapy and treatment for addictions. In addition, the protest organizers oppose the introduction of compulsory military service and cuts to social spending.
In Frankfurt am Main, demonstrations that began peacefully with 8,000–9,000 participants escalated into looting and attacks on police officers, including with Molotov cocktails. In particular, a group of aggressive protesters managed to break into a gun shop as well as a Snipes clothing and sneaker store. Two firearms were seized from those who attacked the first retail outlet.
According to Hesse Interior Minister Roman Poseck, the unrest was driven by "around 100 violence-prone left-wing extremists" who were among the demonstrators. Police checked the documents of roughly the same number of people, and more than 30 others were detained. Toward night, law enforcement officers managed to stop the riots — water cannons, armored police vehicles, a helicopter and drones were used. They had to close off part of the city center.
"Those who behave like the perpetrators in the center of Frankfurt place themselves outside our society. We will thoroughly analyze the actions of the aggressors, the composition of the groups of offenders and the course of events, and then draw the appropriate conclusions," said Hesse Minister-President Boris Rhein. Also, according to the publication, in Berlin one of two major rallies, which drew about 3,500 people, mostly members of left-radical groups, escalated into riots.
Some demonstrators threw firecrackers at police, set off fireworks and threw bottles. Participants also damaged property and violated the weapons law, law enforcement officers noted. As a result, 56 people were detained, and 27 police officers suffered minor injuries.
In Cologne, law enforcement officers banned protesters from holding a march, allowing only a rally in one location. The reason was masks on the faces of some demonstrators, as well as the use of pyrotechnics — which was also thrown at police. Because of this, police used water cannons at the end of the rally. In Hamburg, in the evening some protesters built barricades and set them on fire, and also threw bottles and stones at police. Protests ended similarly in Stuttgart and Bremen.