Violent riots erupted in central Frankfurt late on Saturday, marking a sharp escalation in a wave of German cost of living protests that spread across multiple major cities. While thousands joined largely peaceful demonstrations earlier in the day, the evening saw rioters smash shop windows, loot stores, and clash with police using fireworks and stones.
Police in Frankfurt deployed special units and water cannons to disperse crowds that targeted emergency workers. Authorities reported that windows of several businesses were broken, molotov cocktails were thrown, and a gun shop was breached. Two weapons were seized after a suspect was arrested. Local media confirmed that people broke into other shops to steal items including trainers.
Violence Spreads to Berlin, Cologne, and Hamburg
The unrest was not confined to Frankfurt. Similar incidents of violence occurred in Berlin, Cologne, and Hamburg following earlier peaceful marches. In Cologne, police officers were attacked near the main train station with bottles and a bicycle. Berlin police reported that 27 officers were injured and up to 56 people were temporarily detained after a smaller evening demonstration turned violent.
In Hamburg, demonstrators dressed in black set fire to barricades and set off fireworks. Public broadcaster NDR reported that 120 people were arrested in the city. Roman Poseck, the interior minister of Hesse state, where Frankfurt is located, criticized the infiltration of the protest by extremists. He stated that around 100 clearly identified left-wing extremists had joined the crowd, describing the violence as shameful.
“We all have those images from France in our minds,” Poseck said, referencing recent unrest there. “France must not be held up as a model in this regard.” Police in Frankfurt said the situation had calmed down by Sunday morning.
European Youth Mobilize Against Economic Pressure
The German protests were part of a broader movement across Europe, organized by the campaign group Gen Z regelt, which translates to “Gen Z takes charge.” The group mobilized thousands to protest against underfunded schools, public spending cuts, and compulsory military service. Lina Friedrich, a spokesperson for the group, said the demonstrations were aimed at fighting for peace and freedom rather than war.
“What matters most to us is better support for the health and education systems,” Friedrich said. “We are against compulsory military service and we are in favour of a fairer distribution of the burden.”
On the same day, more than 320,000 people participated in demonstrations in France. The French protests, now in their third consecutive weekend, were mostly peaceful but saw clashes in cities like Toulouse, Lyon, and Marseille. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez reported that a police officer was injured by a molotov cocktail in Paris, where several hundred rioters attacked security forces with projectiles.
Protests also took place in Italy, with clashes in Rome and Turin. In Portugal, police cleared a tent camp after thousands marched against a rental bill that activists argue worsens the housing crisis. Young protesters have recently taken to the streets in Belgium, Ireland, Spain, Greece, Serbia, and Albania, focusing on housing, education, and public service cuts.
German authorities reported as many as 18,000 protesters in Frankfurt, Munich, and Berlin combined, roughly half of the number estimated by organizers. Despite the violence in some areas, the core message of the Gen Z regelt campaign remained focused on economic stability and social support systems.
Source: BBC
