Rioters looted shops in central Frankfurt on Saturday night after largely peaceful mass protests over Germany's cost of living turned violent as darkness fell. Police used water cannons to disperse protesters in Frankfurt, Berlin, Cologne and Hamburg after demonstrators targeted emergency workers with fireworks, stones and bottles, according to police statements.
Thousands joined demonstrations organized by Gen Z regelt, a campaign group whose name means "Gen Z takes charge." Protesters called for better school funding, action on high living costs, public spending increases and opposition to compulsory military service. Gen Z regelt spokesperson Lina Friedrich said the group fought "for peace and freedom, rather than for war and coercion" and sought "better support for the health and education systems" and "a fairer distribution of the burden."
Police reported between 18,000 and roughly half of the organizers' estimate across Frankfurt, Munich and Berlin, though German media reported tens of thousands protested nationwide. A large section of Frankfurt's main shopping street closed as police made multiple arrests. Frankfurt police said shop windows were smashed, molotov cocktails were thrown at emergency services and a gun shop was targeted. Police seized two weapons after arresting a suspect.
Roman Poseck, interior minister of Hesse state, said "around 100 clearly identified left-wing extremists" had infiltrated the Frankfurt protest. He called the violent turn "shameful" and compared it to unrest in France, where more than 320,000 people also demonstrated on Saturday.