'Gen Z' demonstrations across Germany demand more education funding

German police and protesters clashed across the country Saturday following massive youth-led protests, 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 that were organised by the group "GenZ regelt!" ("Gen Z has got this!").

The demonstrations, inspired by similar movements in France and Italy calling for political elites to heed the concerns of the younger generation, were largely peaceful during the day.

But tensions peaked in the evening as some groups of protesters refused to disperse.

Police were pelted with projectiles in the western city of Frankfurt, and responded by using water cannon and pepper spray as they sought to clear protesters. Riot police use water cannon against protesters during a demonstration organised by "GenZ regelt!" (Gen Z has got this!) in Cologne on October 31, 2026.

"Incidents of stones and fireworks being thrown at the emergency services continue to occur," police said on X.

"We are taking action against these troublemakers."

Police also used water cannon in the cities of Hamburg and Cologne after they said demonstrators targeted emergency service workers with fireworks, stones and bottles.

'Boiling point'

In Berlin, a protest that was not organised by the "GenZ regelt!" movement took place in the evening, with police reporting they were pelted with eggs and bottles.

Police in the eastern city of Leipzig also used pepper spray after protests turned violent while a police officer in Bonn suffered minor injuries during a confrontation with a group.

Police were reported to have made several arrests.
The youth-led protests earlier in the day took place in a mostly peaceful and festive atmosphere, with some dressed in outfits ranging from dinosaurs to Batman as the demonstrations coincided with Halloween.

They waved signs that read "Time for resistance", and "Merz must go", in reference to conservative Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

"I think it's really important to show solidarity with all the other protests currently happening across Europe, including in France," Milla, a 20-year-old student who only gave her first name, told AFP in Berlin.

"I've been waiting for a long time for something to finally really happen, and for people to tackle this with a bit more force. I believe that today here is the first step."

Marius, a 23-year-old care worker, added that "politicians need to know about this ... the situation is slowly reaching boiling point."

"I think we can all feel that this just isn't working anymore," he added.

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The movement's complaints range from the high cost of living to poorly maintained schools, government spending cuts and, more broadly, what it sees as politicians making decisions with apparently little regard for the younger generation.

They are also unhappy with sharply increased military spending and a new voluntary service model aimed at boosting troop numbers, fearing it is a step towards bringing back conscription.

Europe-wide protests

"GenZ regelt!" said some 120,000 people took part in the demonstrations.

Police said the main protests themselves had been "very peaceful".

When violence broke out in the evening, police "intervened very decisively and also forcefully", Andreas Rosskopf, an official from the police union, told the Rheinische Post daily.

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He also noted that major property damage had so far been avoided. Some jewellery stores and luxury clothing shops boarded up their windows ahead of the protests to ward off looters.

The "GenZ regelt!" movement explicitly rejected violence.

It said that "extremist groups, anti-constitutional symbols, racism and hate speech have no place with us – no matter from which side."

(FRANCE 24 with AFP)