Germany's interior minister has attributed a weekend of riots and looting to "violent Left-wing groups and troublemakers from the migrant community," following widespread protests organized by the campaign group 'Gen Z regelt' (Gen Z takes charge).
Tens of thousands participated in demonstrations across dozens of German cities, advocating for increased education funding, measures against the rising cost of living, climate action, and an end to conscription. While organizers claimed around 120,000 participants, the protests were marred by violence in cities including Frankfurt, Berlin, Hamburg, and Cologne.
In Frankfurt, masked individuals reportedly threw fireworks, stones, bottles, and petrol bombs, injuring over 100 police officers. At least five shops were looted and 17 damaged, including a gun store. Frankfurt police estimated the number of violent individuals to be between 1,000 and 1,500, with the majority reportedly having a migrant background, according to state interior minister Roman Poseck. Police arrested 54 individuals aged between 13 and 29, most of whom were German citizens.
Germany's Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt stated that perpetrators would be identified and held accountable, crediting the police response for preventing violence on the scale seen in Paris. The 'Gen Z regelt' group distanced themselves from the violence, asserting they had no influence on events after the demonstrations concluded.
Meanwhile, in France, students returned from autumn break to block some high schools, signaling a continuation of protest movements. This follows nationwide demonstrations over the preceding weekends concerning the cost of living and inequality, which saw hundreds of thousands take to the streets. During one protest in Paris, petrol bombs were thrown at police, with one officer sustaining burns. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez described the attacks as "attempted murder" and accused hard-Left extremist groups of using "extraordinary" violence.
Organizers reported nearly half a million participants nationwide in the French protests, though the Interior Ministry placed the figure at 320,000. Authorities reported attempts by groups to vandalize and loot in cities like Bordeaux, Toulouse, and Marseille. Overnight curfews were imposed in some Paris neighborhoods, and approximately 70,000 police officers were deployed to maintain order.