Kumar Bahukhandi
A man wearing a Batman costume stands facing police amid unrest in central Frankfurt, Germany, on Saturday, October 31, 2026. (Andreas Arnold/dpa via AP)
Tens of thousands demand better education and lower living costs; largely peaceful daytime rallies followed by violence in several cities
Key Highlights
- Demonstrations organised by “Gen Z regelt” took place across 34 German cities.
- At least two shops were looted in Frankfurt, according to a Reuters witness.
- Police reported attacks involving stones, fireworks and petrol bombs.
- Organisers rejected violence and called for greater investment in public services.
Frankfurt/Berlin: Hooded rioters looted shops in central Frankfurt on Saturday evening after tens of thousands of people joined demonstrations across Germany demanding better education, lower living costs and greater attention to the pressures facing younger generations.
The protests, organised by the campaign group “Gen Z regelt”, or “Gen Z takes charge”, covered 34 cities, including Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich. Most daytime demonstrations passed peacefully before disorder broke out in several locations.
Shops Targeted in Frankfurt
A Reuters witness reported that at least two stores were looted in Frankfurt, with other premises damaged. Police said shop windows had been smashed and petrol bombs thrown towards emergency personnel, urging bystanders to leave the city centre.
Barricades were also set alight in Hamburg. Ahead of the demonstrations, some businesses had boarded up their windows or planned early closures, including shops along Berlin’s Kurfuerstendamm boulevard.
In Frankfurt, police used water cannon and pepper spray during confrontations involving stones, fireworks and incendiary devices. A gun shop was among the premises targeted; police reported an arrest and the recovery of two weapons.
Water cannon were also deployed in Hamburg and Cologne after attacks on emergency personnel, according to police accounts reported by AFP.
Education and Living Costs Drive Demands
The campaign’s demands include increased education funding, stronger public services and opposition to compulsory military service. Its supporters argue that younger Germans face mounting financial pressures while schools and other essential services require greater investment.
Speaking in Berlin, campaign spokesperson Lina Friedrich called for better support for healthcare and education, alongside a fairer distribution of financial burdens. The rallies formed part of a wider wave of youth mobilisation across Europe.
Organisers Reject Violence
The movement explicitly distanced itself from violence and extremist activity. Authorities had warned before the rallies that groups seeking confrontation could attempt to exploit the mobilisation.
In Berlin, the evening gathering where disorder occurred was separate from the demonstration organised by “Gen Z regelt”, AFP reported. That distinction is significant when assessing the relationship between the peaceful rallies and subsequent street violence.
Germany’s public broadcaster ARD reported that the main campaign gathering at the Brandenburg Gate, attended by up to 5,000 people, proceeded almost without disruption. Police reported offences and injuries during a separate gathering that began at Rosenthaler Platz.
In Frankfurt, investigators were examining who participated in the later attacks on city-centre businesses. ARD reporting indicated that the identity and affiliation of those responsible had not been fully established.
(With inputs from Reuters and AFP)
