Gen Z Protests in Germany Turn Violent with Looting in Frankfurt

Youth-led protests across 34 German cities on Saturday produced both large peaceful marches and later violence that included looting of shops in Frankfurt and attacks on emergency workers with stones, bottles and Molotov cocktails. Organizers from the group Gen Z regelt, which translates as Gen Z takes charge, said the actions targeted underfunding of schools, rising living costs, cuts to public services and the possibility of compulsory military service.

Police in Frankfurt, Munich and Berlin reported combined turnouts of about 18,000 people. Organizers had listed roughly 36,000 on their site and claimed higher numbers in some cities. German media described tens of thousands taking part nationwide. The marches began in the afternoon and remained largely orderly for several hours. In Frankfurt the procession started near the European Central Bank on the banks of the Main and moved through the center for several kilometers.

By evening the situation changed in several cities. In Frankfurt hooded groups smashed shop windows on the main shopping street and entered stores. A firearms shop had its windows broken; police later seized two weapons after arresting a suspect. A trainer shop and a perfume store were also reported looted. Rioters set bins on fire and threw objects at officers. Frankfurt police posted that Molotov cocktails were being thrown at emergency services and urged bystanders to leave the city center. A large section of the main shopping street was closed overnight.

Similar disturbances occurred in Berlin, Cologne and Hamburg. Police in those cities used water cannon to disperse groups that targeted emergency workers with fireworks, stones and bottles. In Cologne officers were attacked with bottles and bicycles near the cathedral. In Berlin 27 officers suffered minor injuries and nearly 60 people were arrested. Nationwide police figures on total arrests were not immediately available, but individual cities reported dozens of detentions.

Gen Z regelt spokesperson Lina Friedrich said the demonstrations aimed to fight for peace and freedom rather than war and coercion. She listed priorities as better support for health and education systems, opposition to compulsory military service and a fairer distribution of the burden of rising costs. Politicians and police attributed the evening violence to masked and radical left-wing activists who joined or overtook the earlier marches.

The German protests followed similar youth-led actions in France, where more than 320,000 people demonstrated on Saturday according to organizers. French police reported limited shop damage in Paris and Marseille and deployed about 70,000 officers. In Albania recent anti-government demonstrations have also included firebombs and attacks on police buildings, with protesters accusing the government of corruption.

The events highlight persistent pressure on European governments from younger voters over the cost of living, education budgets and defense spending. Germany has been debating changes to military service rules amid broader European concerns about security. The gap between daytime organizer estimates and police counts, and the rapid shift from marches to looting, will shape how authorities and parties respond in the coming days. Frankfurt’s status as a financial center made the shop damage especially visible, but the underlying demands appeared in multiple cities.

No major injuries beyond the reported officer cases were highlighted in initial accounts. The violence remained concentrated in the evening hours after the main demonstrations had concluded. Further numbers on property damage and total arrests are expected from state police authorities once the weekend counts are consolidated.