German police fire water cannon during tense ‘Gen Z’ protests

German police deployed water cannons on Saturday to disperse protesters hurling fireworks during tense demonstrations across several cities, including Berlin, Frankfurt, and Cologne. Similar protests took place in other cities, with thousands of police deployed nationwide as the youth-led protests, organized by the "GenZ regelt!" movement, continued.

The demonstrators, inspired by similar movements across Europe, expressed their discontent over issues such as the high cost of living, poorly maintained schools, government spending cuts, and perceived indifference of politicians towards the younger generation. They also criticized the increased military spending and a new voluntary service model, fearing it could lead to the return of conscription.

Police in Cologne fired water cannons after protesters targeted officers with fireworks, while in Berlin and Frankfurt, demonstrators hurled bottles, eggs, and set barricades ablaze. In Hamburg, protesters set fire to barricades and faced pepper spray from authorities. The "GenZ regelt!" movement, which explicitly rejects violence, called for a better future and criticized politicians for making decisions without considering the needs of the younger generation.

Authorities expressed concern over the possibility of violence, but there was no evidence of concrete plans for such actions. Berlin authorities were in contact with French and Italian officials, fearing overseas radicals might join the protests. Despite the widespread protests, the "GenZ regelt!" movement emphasized that hate speech, extremism, and racism have no place in their demonstrations.