Tens of thousands protest in German cities during Halloween; police intervene after clashes

Anti–cost-of-living protests spread to Germany on Saturday evening, as tens of thousands took to the streets in several cities coinciding with Halloween celebrations. Some sites saw a heavy security presence and police interventions after riots and confrontations broke out.

A German youth movement is leading the protests under the slogan “Gen Z takes charge!”, calling for better capacity to cope with the rising cost of living, increased funding for schools and universities, and action on environmental issues, as well as opposing the possible reintroduction of compulsory military service.

The demonstrations included major cities such as Berlin, Frankfurt, Cologne and Munich. The rally in the capital, Berlin, was peaceful according to reports there, while tensions in other cities prompted security forces to intervene.

In Cologne the police said they used water cannons after some participants set off fireworks during a march in the city center, stressing that “our measures are directed against troublemakers and violent elements, not against peaceful participants.”

In Hamburg riot police intervened after security barriers were set on fire and emergency crews were attacked. Police said their action followed a rise in incidents in which emergency teams were pelted with fireworks and construction materials.

Frankfurt police reported Molotov cocktails being thrown at emergency crews and shop windows smashed, prompting authorities to close part of the Zeil shopping street. Police said they arrested one suspect and seized two weapons after the window of a weapons shop was smashed.

Organizers of the “Gen Z” movement said they chose to stage the protests during Halloween to boost participation and draw attention to youth demands, and emphasized on their website that young people will no longer accept decisions about their future being made without them. The organizers also affirmed the peaceful nature of the actions and asked participants to keep their faces uncovered even when wearing costumes.

As a precaution, authorities increased police deployments across the country, and luxury stores on the upscale Kurfürstendamm in Berlin boarded up their windows in anticipation of possible vandalism.

The German protests follow a wave of actions that began in France in late September, initiated by secondary school students demanding improvements to school buildings, remedies for teacher shortages, more resources and changes to the university admissions system, before the movement expanded to include other groups — including the so‑called “Yellow Vests” — and grew into broader protests over living conditions.