Rioters loot shops as Gen Z protests erupt into violence across Germany
FRANKFURT: Masked rioters looted shops in the German city of Frankfurt on Saturday as massive demonstrations turned violent across the country, with police also firing water cannons at youths hurling Molotov cocktails.
Frankfurt, Germany witnessed violent protests on Saturday as masked rioters looted shops and clashed with police. Dozens of demonstrations organized by the GenZ regelt! group erupted across the country, but tensions escalated in the evening. Police faced protesters throwing stones, fireworks and petrol bombs, responding with water cannons and pepper spray.
Several shops were destroyed and Molotov cocktails were thrown at emergency personnel. The violence resulted in at least one police officer being injured and hospitalized. Interior Minister Roman Poseck accused around 100 left-wing extremists of infiltrating the protests. The protests, inspired by similar movements in France and Italy, were initially peaceful, with participants wearing costumes and waving signs calling for political change.
The movement's core complaints include the high cost of living, poorly maintained schools, government spending cuts, and concerns over increased military spending. GenZ regelt! explicitly rejected violence and called for unity with other European protests.
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