Frankfurt. Young men break shop windows, shops are looted, Molotov cocktails fly towards police officers - these are scenes that Frankfurt has not seen since the Blockupy riots in 2015. As in several other major German cities, the “Gen Z regulates” and “Generation Awakening” initiatives called for protests in the city, which resulted in riots in the evening. There were also riots and incidents in Cologne and partly in Hamburg and Berlin - but nowhere as violent as in the banking metropolis on the Main.
Who is behind the violence and why did it erupt to this extent in Frankfurt of all places? Questions and answers on the topic:
What happened?
On Saturday, the demonstrations called for by the “Gen Z regulates” and “Generation Awakening” initiatives in Hesse’s largest city were initially peaceful for long stretches. Thousands of people took part in this, taking to the streets to demand more investment in education and health and against the introduction of compulsory military service.
But in the evening the mood changed: Police officers said they were pelted with firecrackers, stones and bottles. When they broke up the demonstration at around 6:20 p.m. because it was “unpeaceful,” there was turmoil with shop windows being smashed, shops being looted and barricades burning. Eventually the police cordoned off parts of the city center. Around 30 people are arrested. The situation only calmed down early in the morning.
How many people were injured?
Exact numbers were initially not known. According to police, several officers suffered injuries. The number of injured demonstrators and rioters initially remained unclear.
Who is behind the riots?
Hesse's Interior Minister Roman Poseck (CDU) sees those responsible on the one hand in the left-wing extremist scene - but not alone there: It is assumed that there were around 100 violent criminals motivated by left-wing extremism who massively attacked the police with bottles, stones and pyrotechnics. He also points to problems with violent groups of young people in the Main metropolis.
“In Frankfurt, an enormous potential for violence has been unleashed by left-wing extremists and violence-oriented young people, mostly with a migrant background,” said the minister. “Unfortunately, every weekend, Frankfurt is a special attraction for young people who violate the law and are sometimes violent,” he explained. “Only some of the perpetrator groups come from Frankfurt; they travel from the entire Rhine-Main area.”
What does politics say?
Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt condemned the riots and sees certain groups in particular as the perpetrators of riots. "Violent left-wing groups and chaotic people from the migrant milieu hijacked the peaceful afternoon demonstrations last night," the CSU politician told "Bild" and at the same time announced: "The rioters and looters will be identified and held accountable. This breach of the peace must be followed by harsh punishments."
The opposition AfD in the Hesse state parliament accused Interior Minister Poseck of failing to prevent “French conditions”. “The violence in Frankfurt am Main is frightening and once again an urgent call for the black and red coalition to finally take a closer look at left-wing extremists and migrant violence,” said state parliamentary group leader Robert Lambrou.
What damage occurred?
Broken shop windows, looted shops, burning barricades - the damage caused by the violence in Frankfurt was “significant,” a police spokesman said this morning. However, these cannot yet be estimated precisely.
How are the police dealing with the riots?
According to the police, numerous crimes are being investigated. She called on witnesses via WhatsApp to provide photos and videos of incidents or what happened via a tip server. Witnesses were also asked to provide information about observations via the online watchdog.
