German protests degenerated in many places

The announced demonstrations in 34 German cities were largely peaceful, according to police descriptions of the youth protest against rising living costs. But at 3 p.m., the first pyrotechnic displays were reported and masked or costumed people began throwing objects at the police, writes Die Zeit, ranging from bottles to bicycles.

After that, it was rioters and perpetrators of violence that characterized many demonstration sites where the police in several places resorted to, for example, water cannons and pepper spray to disperse the crowds. A large number of arrests were also made in the riots.

In addition to the issue of living costs, the politically unaffiliated organizer "Gen Z as a rule" wants to see bigger budgets for schools and healthcare, among other things. In addition, they are against a reintroduced or extended conscription and for immediate major investments in the climate.

Cologne police chief Johannes Hermanns tells Deutsche Welle that he finds it deplorable that the peaceful demonstrations were hijacked by "extremists who only have violence in mind". In Berlin, 27 police officers received minor injuries and 56 people were arrested, according to the Frankfurter Allgemeine.

It is precisely in the German financial center of Frankfurt that the German media describe the situation as worst. The federal state of Hesse's interior minister Roman Poseck (CDU) tells German media that it is estimated that around a hundred clearly identified left-wing extremists infiltrated the demonstration.

- I am shocked by the excesses of violence in Frankfurt. We've seen pictures we didn't want to see. My thoughts go out to the police, especially the injured, who with great dedication prevented even worse violence, Poseck told DPA.

Although several luxury stores were affected by unrest, the German riots featured conspicuous elements of vandalism and looting of shops in the style of those seen in France in recent times. The CDU's general secretary, Franziska Hoppermann, is now calling for tougher measures.

- This destructive anger towards the country you live in is incomprehensible to me. Any real objective of the demonstrations remained doubtful until the end – for some it was the perfect cover for violence and rioting, which was certainly rejected by the majority of participants, Hoppermann tells Die Zeit, taking the opportunity to call the perpetrators of the violence the political vanguard of the left-wing party Die Linke.

Gen Z Regelt has scheduled its next nationwide protest for November 14.