01.11.2026 13:12
Protests in Germany against the high cost of living, compulsory military service, and shortcomings in education, held under the slogan “Generation Z is taking over,” turned into violent incidents in Frankfurt, Berlin, Cologne, and Hamburg. At least 176 people were detained in the demonstrations, during which stores were looted in the night hours, while 27 police officers were injured in Berlin. Police used water cannons to disperse the protesters.
Thousands of people joined protests organized under the leadership of young people in Germany. The demonstrations, which began peacefully during the day, turned into clashes between police and protesters in many cities during the night.
THEY ATTACKED POLICE WITH FIREWORKS AND STONES
In Berlin, Cologne and Hamburg, particularly in Germany’s financial center Frankfurt, police intervened with water cannons against protesters who targeted emergency teams with fireworks, stones and bottles.
SHOP WINDOWS SMASHED IN FRANKFURT
In Frankfurt, Hesse, a large part of the main shopping street was closed by police to traffic and pedestrians. A police spokesperson announced that many people were detained in the city. Authorities reported that the shop windows of many businesses, including a gun store, were smashed and that 2 weapons were seized from one of the detained suspects. According to information in local media, protesters entered some stores and looted sneakers and various products.
Frankfurt police announced that the situation in the city had calmed down toward morning.
“WE ARE AGAINST COMPULSORY MILITARY SERVICE”
Lina Friedrich, spokesperson for the Gen Z regelt movement that organized the protests, said the demonstrations were organized to “fight for peace and freedom, not for war and coercion.” Friedrich said, “The most important issue for us is more support for healthcare and education systems. We are against compulsory military service and advocate a fairer distribution of the burden.”
“FRANCE SHOULD NOT BE TAKEN AS AN EXAMPLE IN THIS MATTER”
Hesse Interior Minister Roman Poseck reacted to the incidents. Poseck said, “We all have images from France in our minds; looted shops, houses set on fire, burned police vehicles and attacks on police officers... France should not be taken as an example in this matter.”
BICYCLE THROWN AT POLICE IN COLOGNE
Cologne police announced that officers were attacked near the main train station, bottles were thrown at officials and a bicycle was thrown at them. Cologne Police Chief Johannes Hermanns commented, “It is extremely sad that young people who want to demonstrate peacefully for their future have their actions infiltrated by extremists whose only aim is to cause violence.”
56 DETENTIONS IN BERLIN, 120 IN HAMBURG
In the demonstration held in Berlin in the evening, 27 police officers were injured and up to 56 protesters were temporarily detained. In Hamburg, protesters dressed in black set off fireworks and set barricades on fire. Public broadcaster NDR reported that 120 people were detained in the city.