Protests spread to Germany as hundreds of thousands march again in France

Cost-of-living protests that began in France have spread to Germany, where demonstrations took place on Saturday, with tens of thousands of people marching across the country. The youth-led movement "Gen Z has got this!" protested against high living costs, underfunded education, environmental concerns, and potential mandatory military service.

Protests occurred in major German cities including Berlin, Frankfurt, Cologne, and Munich. While the Berlin protest remained peaceful, Cologne and Hamburg saw the deployment of water cannons and riot police, with Cologne using them after fireworks were set off and Hamburg responding to barriers being set on fire and emergency personnel being attacked.

In Frankfurt, Molotov cocktails were thrown at emergency personnel, and shop windows were smashed, leading to the closure of part of the Zeil shopping street. Police arrested a suspect and seized two weapons after a gun shop's windows were broken. The 'Gen Z regelt' movement organized the large-scale day of action to coincide with Halloween, aiming for maximum turnout and visibility.

They claimed 120,000 people attended the protests across Germany on Saturday. Participants were instructed to keep their faces visible, even in costumes.

The German movement follows a broader wave of protests across Europe, including unrest in France, which has experienced rioting and looting. France faces another weekend of rallies, with the Yellow Vests movement also holding protests on Saturday. French Interior Ministry reported 320,000 people participated in demonstrations across the country.