Several police officers were injured in Germany on Saturday after youth-led demonstrations across the country escalated into violent confrontations between security personnel and protesters.
Tens of thousands of people participated in the rallies organised by a youth movement known as “GenZ regelt!”, which translates to “Gen Z has got this”.
The demonstrations were largely peaceful during the day, with young people gathering to express dissatisfaction with government policies and demand greater attention to issues affecting their generation.
However, tensions increased in the evening when some protesters refused to leave, prompting police to use water cannon and pepper spray to disperse crowds in several cities.
In Frankfurt, demonstrators reportedly threw stones, bottles and fireworks at police officers, who responded with force to restore order.
Similar confrontations occurred in Hamburg and Cologne, where police said emergency service personnel were targeted with fireworks and other objects.
Authorities also reported clashes in Leipzig, where officers deployed pepper spray, while a police officer in Bonn sustained minor injuries during a confrontation. In Berlin, a separate evening demonstration saw police officers pelted with eggs and bottles.
Several arrests were made following the incidents.
Earlier in the day, the demonstrations had maintained a largely festive atmosphere, with some participants wearing Halloween costumes, including dinosaur and Batman outfits. Protesters also carried placards bearing messages such as “Time for resistance” and calls for Chancellor Friedrich Merz to leave office.
The movement’s demands include action on the rising cost of living, poor school conditions and government spending cuts. Participants have also criticised increased military expenditure and a new voluntary military service arrangement, expressing concern that it could eventually lead to the return of compulsory military service.
Some demonstrators said politicians needed to take young people’s concerns more seriously, warning that public frustration was reaching a critical point.
The organisers estimated that approximately 120,000 people took part in the nationwide rallies, while police described the main demonstrations as largely peaceful.
A police union official, Andreas Rosskopf, told the Rheinische Post that officers responded firmly when violence broke out, adding that significant property damage had largely been avoided.
The “GenZ regelt!” movement distanced itself from the violence, stating that extremism, racism, hate speech and symbols opposing the constitution were not welcome at its demonstrations.
The protests followed similar youth-led movements in France and Italy, where demonstrators have called on political leaders to address the concerns of younger generations.
In France, demonstrations also continued for a third consecutive weekend on Saturday, with clashes reported in Paris and other locations. German authorities had earlier contacted their counterparts in France and Italy over concerns that extremist groups from outside the country could become involved in the protests.
