Organized by the youth group Gen Z regelt, daytime rallies drew up to 18,000 people demanding increased funding for health and education. The peaceful gatherings devolved into night-time chaos across Berlin, Cologne, Hamburg, and Frankfurt, where police deployed water cannon to disperse volatile crowds. Frankfurt officials sealed off a prominent shopping corridor and made multiple arrests after rioters threw Molotov cocktails and targeted a gun shop.
Key points
Hesse state Interior Minister Roman Poseck stated that roughly 100 left-wing extremists i…: Hesse state Interior Minister Roman Poseck stated that roughly 100 left-wing extremists infiltrated the Frankfurt rally.
Demonstrators across Germany demanded improved state funding for education and healthcare…: Demonstrators across Germany demanded improved state funding for education and healthcare while opposing proposed military service.
German officials expressed alarm over rioters emulating destructive youth-led unrest that…: German officials expressed alarm over rioters emulating destructive youth-led unrest that brought over 320,000 protesters to French streets.
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Rioters looted shops in central Frankfurt late on Saturday and clashes erupted with police there and in other German cities after largely peaceful mass protests over the cost of living.
Besides Frankfurt - Germany's financial hub - there were incidents of violence in Berlin, Cologne and Hamburg, with police saying they used water cannon to disperse protesters who targeted emergency workers with fireworks, stones and bottles.
Thousands earlier joined the demonstrations organised by the campaign group Gen Z regelt - meaning "Gen Z takes charge" - to protest against underfunding in schools, the high cost of living, public spending cuts and military service.
The unrest in Germany follows similar youth-led mass protests in France, where more than 320,000 people also demonstrated on Saturday.
A large section of Frankfurt's main shopping street was closed off by police, AFP news agency reported. A police spokesperson said many arrests were made in the city.
Authorities in Frankfurt, Munich and Berlin reported as many as 18,000 protesters, roughly half of what the organisers had estimated on their website.
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