German police, protesters clash after ‘Gen Z’ demos

German police faced off against protesters across the country on Saturday following large youth-led demonstrations, with authorities deploying water cannons and pepper spray as masked demonstrators threw fireworks, stones, and bottles. Over tens of thousands joined nationwide protests organized by the GenZ regelt! movement, which aimed to urge political leaders to address the concerns of younger generations.

The protests, inspired by similar movements in France and Italy, were largely peaceful throughout the day. However, tensions escalated in the evening as some groups refused to disperse.

In Frankfurt, police were pelted with projectiles, prompting the use of water cannons and pepper spray. Similar incidents occurred in Hamburg and Cologne, where demonstrators targeted emergency service workers with fireworks, stones, and bottles. In Berlin, a protest not organized by the GenZ regelt! movement saw police reporting egg and bottle attacks. In Leipzig, pepper spray was used after protests turned violent, and a police officer in Bonn suffered minor injuries during a confrontation.

Police made several arrests during the violence, which occurred primarily in the evening. Earlier in the day, youth-led protests took place peacefully in various cities, coinciding with Halloween. Participants wore costumes ranging from dinosaurs to Batman and held signs reading "Time for resistance" and "Merz must go," a reference to conservative Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

Milla, a 20-year-old student, expressed her support for solidarity with other European protests, while Marius, a 23-year-old care worker, emphasized the need for politicians to recognize the situation's critical state.

The GenZ regelt! movement cited issues such as the high cost of living, poorly maintained schools, government spending cuts, and increased military spending as reasons for their grievances. They also feared the new voluntary service model could signal a return to conscription. Despite the movement's explicit rejection of violence, police clashed with some protesters, fearing the involvement of radical groups from abroad.

Berlin has been in contact with French and Italian authorities due to concerns over potential foreign radical involvement.