Demonstrations against the rising cost of living have spread from France to Germany, where tens of thousands of people participated in coordinated protests on Saturday. The German movement, led by youth organizers under the banner “Gen Z has got this!” (Gen Z regelt), staged rallies in major cities including Berlin, Frankfurt, Cologne, and Munich. Participants voiced concerns over inflation, underfunded educational institutions, environmental policies, and the potential reinstatement of mandatory military service.
While many gatherings remained peaceful, authorities reported significant clashes in several German cities. In Cologne and Hamburg, police deployed water cannons and riot squads after protesters set off fireworks, ignited barriers, and targeted emergency personnel with projectiles. In Frankfurt, police closed a section of the Zeil shopping street after Molotov cocktails were thrown and windows at a gun shop were shattered. One suspect was arrested, and two weapons were seized. Organizers claimed a nationwide turnout of 120,000, noting that the date was chosen to coincide with Halloween to maximize visibility.
Meanwhile, France faced another weekend of unrest as the “Yellow Vests” movement and student groups held their third major act of demonstrations. The French Interior Ministry reported that 320,000 people took to the streets nationwide, including 70,000 in Paris. These figures represent a decline from previous weeks, following the 550,000 participants recorded on October 17 and 410,000 last week. By 6 p.m. local time on Saturday, 296 individuals had been detained.
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez had previously warned of a high risk of public disorder, leading to the deployment of 70,000 law enforcement officers across France. Authorities restricted demonstrations to areas outside city centers to prevent looting and property damage. Despite these measures, police reported that radical elements attempted to infiltrate city centers in cities such as Bordeaux, Toulouse, Rennes, and Marseille. In Rennes, authorities noted that while the main march was calm, violent groups attacked police with projectiles after the event concluded.
French officials have expressed growing concern over the escalation of violence, noting that at least 1,193 police officers have been injured since the protests began in late September. President Emmanuel Macron addressed the situation in a recent interview, describing the violence as a “collective failure.” He stated, “I think no high school student started pushing for their demands expecting to suffer such terrible consequences. And I don’t know a single police officer who signed up to find themselves caught up in such terrible and violent moments either.”
As Halloween approached, French police issued warnings against the use of masks and fake weapons, citing potential fines of up to €150 for concealing one's face and up to three years in prison for carrying weapons. The government also moved to ban gatherings that invoked calls for “revolution” or “insurrection” on social media. The country now braces for a nationwide strike and mobilization scheduled for November 5, organized by an inter-union coalition focused on living costs.
