Looters smashed windows and stole sports shoes in Frankfurt on Saturday night. I see the chaos as a direct result of the "Gen Z regelt" movement’s attempt to protest cost-of-living increases and education funding cuts. Protesters threw stones, bottles, and Molotov cocktails at emergency workers. Police used water cannons and special units to manage the crowds in the financial center. One lone thief broke into a gun shop and police seized two weapons. Roman Pozek, the Hessen federal state interior minister, said 100 extremists with clear left-wing affiliations joined the protesters. I find the presence of such extremists among those seeking "peace and freedom" to be a complete failure of the movement’s stated goals. Spokesperson Lina Friedrich said the movement fights for healthcare and education systems and against mandatory military service to ensure a much fairer distribution of societal burdens.
Violence spread to other German cities during the weekend. Berlin police reported that 27 officers suffered injuries and authorities detained up to 56 people during a protest in the city that followed the large daytime demonstrations that happened earlier this Saturday morning. In Hamburg, 120 people faced arrest after black-clad individuals threw stones and set fire to street barriers, while Cologne police reported attacks near the central train station where protesters threw bottles and bicycles at officers. While officials in Frankfurt, Munich, and Berlin reported 18,000 participants, media outlets reported tens of thousands took to the streets. Alexander Dobrind, the German interior minister, told Bild that police prevented incidents similar to those seen in Paris.
Unrest across Europe
The chaos in Germany follows massive demonstrations in France where 320,000 people protested during the third week of consecutive demonstrations. In Toulouse, Lyon, and Marseille, police arrested 500 people after clashes occurred, and Laurent Nunes, the French interior minister, said a Molotov cocktail injured a police officer. Prosecutors in France opened an investigation into attempted murder following the injury. I view the "Gilets Jaunes" claims regarding police grenade injuries with skepticism because the movement often uses violent tactics. Following an incident in October where a 15-year-old lost a hand to an explosion, French police stopped using loud grenades to control students.
Protesters also held demonstrations in Italy and Portugal. Clashes occurred between police and protesters in Rome and Turin. In Portugal, thousands of people protested against a new rent law because housing prices doubled over the last ten years. Police dispersed new tent camps after the mass marches to combat the growing housing crisis.
