Clashes erupt as tens of thousands join Gen Z protests across Germany

German police clashed with protesters across the country on Saturday after tens of thousands joined youth-led demonstrations organized by the group "GenZ regelt!" Authorities used water cannon and pepper spray in Frankfurt, Hamburg, Cologne, and Leipzig as some protesters threw fireworks, stones, and bottles. Several police officers were injured. The daytime protests were largely peaceful.

German police and protesters clashed across the country on Saturday after massive youth-led demonstrations, with authorities using water cannon and pepper spray as masked demonstrators hurled fireworks, stones and bottles. Several police officers were injured in the violence after tens of thousands joined protests nationwide organized by the group "GenZ regelt!" (Gen Z has got this!). The demonstrations, inspired by similar movements in France and Italy, were largely peaceful during the day but tensions peaked in the evening as some groups refused to disperse. Police were pelted with projectiles in Frankfurt, and responded with water cannon and pepper spray. Police also used water cannon in Hamburg and Cologne after demonstrators targeted emergency service workers. In Berlin, a separate protest took place, with police reporting they were pelted with eggs and bottles. Police in Leipzig used pepper spray, and an officer in Bonn suffered minor injuries. The youth-led protests earlier in the day were mostly peaceful and festive, coinciding with Halloween, with signs reading "Time for resistance" and "Merz must go." The movement's complaints include the high cost of living, poorly maintained schools, government spending cuts, increased military spending, and a new voluntary service model. "GenZ regelt!" said some 120,000 people took part. Police said the main protests had been "very peaceful." Protests also took place in France for a third straight weekend.