Europe in emergency due to warning of ‘Halloween protests’… 100,000 young people protest in Italy

Major European countries, including France and Germany, are preparing for anti-government protests against the lack of public investment and rising prices this weekend, which falls on Halloween (31st).

In Italy, protests of a similar nature began on Friday the 30th (local time).

High school students, college students, and workers protested in more than 50 cities, including Rome, Milan, Naples, and Turin.

DPA news agency reported that the number of protestors is estimated to exceed 100,000.

USB, a major labor union that led the general strike along with the protests, claimed that at least 1 million people participated by noon that day, and the police did not announce the count.

With the Giorgia Meloni government deploying a large security force, the protests were generally more peaceful than last week. Sporadic clashes occurred between police and protesters in Turin.

Protesters are demanding that the government reduce the hardships of people's lives and increase investment in schools. They blame the high cost of living on the conservative and far-right coalition government led by Prime Minister Meloni, and are also protesting slow wage increases and increased defense spending. At the protest on this day, banners with slogans such as “Put down weapons and raise wages” and “Oppose war economy” were noticeable.

In France, the third large-scale weekend protest is scheduled after the spread of student protests on the 31st, which is Saturday and Halloween. Student groups and the 'Yellow Vests' announced their participation in the protest on the 31st.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez told reporters on the 29th that "the risk of mass riots is very high" and warned that "violent messages inciting unrest" were circulating online among some far-left groups on the night of the 31st.

In preparation for this, the French government plans to deploy 70,000 police forces, similar to last weekend. The police announced through

Núñez said measures to protect stores had been strengthened since last weekend and protests were allowed, but not in city centers.

In Germany, a social media group called 'Generation Z (Generation Z) Legelt' emerged and announced that it was organizing protests in about 30 cities on the 31st.

According to AFP, the protests are led by young people who are dissatisfied with their concerns being ignored by the political elite, and so far 150,000 people have registered to participate.

“Young people no longer want to sit by and watch as our voices continue to be determined without our voices being heard,” the group said. They argued that cuts to education, culture and health "keep big corporations profiting and pouring billions into rearmament at our expense."

The group promised to reject violent protests, but the police began preparations by deploying large-scale manpower. Luxury stores and other stores in Germany, like those in France and Italy, are putting wooden boards on their windows to prevent looting.