Mass youth protests in Germany, which spread to 34 cities on 31 October, ended in riots, looting and clashes with the police. In Frankfurt, groups of masked people ransacked shops, including gun shops, and attacked police officers with Molotov cocktails. In Berlin, 27 police officers were injured, whilst in Hamburg and Cologne the police used water cannons. The unrest broke out following largely peaceful demonstrations organised by the youth movement GenZ regelt!, according to AFP and German media reports.
Briefly about the main points
- Youth protests have spread to 34 cities across Germany.
- Shops were looted in Frankfurt, including a gun shop.
- In Berlin, 27 police officers were injured and 56 people were arrested.
- Barricades were ablaze in Hamburg, whilst the police used water cannons.
- The organisers of the peaceful demonstrations have distanced themselves from the violence.
Shop robberies and clashes in Frankfurt
The most serious clashes broke out in Frankfurt am Main, where, after the end of the main demonstrations Groups of people began smashing shop windows and looting shops.
On the main shopping street in Zeil The attackers smashed the windows of the gun shop. The police reported that a suspect had been arrested and two firearms seized. Sports footwear and perfume shops were also targeted in the robberies.
Part high-end clothing shops and jewellery shops had already covered their shop windows with protective screens. There is currently no evidence of widespread looting specifically targeting luxury boutiques.
Those involved in the riots pelted the police with stones, bottles, fireworks and Molotov cocktails. To restore order, the police used water cannons and tear gas. Central streets were cordoned off, and special units and armoured vehicles were deployed.
According to police reports, more than 30 people have been arrested in Frankfurt. The Minister of the Interior for the State of Hesse Roman Posek stated that around a hundred radical left-wing extremists had joined the riots.
27 police officers were injured in Berlin, whilst barricades were set alight in Hamburg
In Berlin, a daytime demonstration at the Brandenburg Gate took place largely peacefully. However, clashes broke out in the evening during another protest in the Mitte district.
Stones, bottles, eggs and fireworks were thrown at the police. According to official figures, 27 police officers sustained minor injuries, whilst 56 participants were temporarily detained. Up to 3,500 people took part in the evening march.
In Hamburg, the riots were accompanied by the setting alight of barricades, whilst in Cologne, protesters attacked law enforcement officers with fireworks and other objects. The police used water cannons to disperse the aggressive groups.
Why did young people in Germany take to the streets to protest?
The nationwide demonstrations were organised by the GenZ regelt! movement, which campaigns against the high cost of living, cuts to social spending and insufficient funding for education.
Other demands include more affordable housing, a stronger climate policy and the rejection of the reintroduction of compulsory military service. Youth activists are also criticising the increase in defence spending against the backdrop of social problems.
According to the organisers’ estimates, a total of around 120,000 people took part in the protests. This figure is not an independently verified nationwide count.
The organisers of the protest distanced themselves from the violence. The police and journalists also noted that some of the attacks were carried out by groups that had joined the crowd after the peaceful demonstrations had ended.
Following last night’s events, the German police are investigating robberies, arson attacks and assaults on law enforcement officers. Investigators in Frankfurt have appealed to eyewitnesses to provide photographs and video footage of the disturbances.
