Violent clashes erupted late Saturday as large-scale cost-of-living protests in Germany turned destructive, with rioters looting shops in central Frankfurt and confrontations breaking out with police across multiple cities.
Besides Frankfurt, the country’s financial hub, incidents of violence were reported in Berlin, Cologne, and Hamburg. Police stated they deployed water cannons to disperse protesters who targeted emergency workers with fireworks, stones, and bottles.
The violence followed earlier peaceful demonstrations organized by the youth-led campaign group “Gen Z regelt” (meaning “Gen Z takes charge”). Thousands gathered to protest against underfunding in schools, the high cost of living, public spending cuts, and military service.
The unrest in Germany comes amid similar youth-led mass demonstrations in France, where over 320,000 people took to the streets on the same day to protest economic and social issues.
In Frankfurt, a large section of the main shopping street was cordoned off by police, according to the AFP news agency. A police spokesperson confirmed that numerous arrests were made in the city as a result of the clashes.
Official estimates from authorities in Frankfurt, Munich, and Berlin put the turnout at up to 18,000 protesters, which is roughly half of the figure anticipated by the organizers on their website.
Lina Friedrich, a spokesperson for Gen Z regelt, stated that the demonstrations were aimed at fighting for peace and freedom rather than war and coercion.
She emphasized that the primary concerns of the demonstrators include better support for health and education systems, opposition to compulsory military service, and a fairer distribution of societal burdens.
