Rioters loot stores in Frankfurt as Gen Z-led protests in Germany turn violent

Tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets in 34 German cities on Saturday to demand better education and lower living costs, while protests in Frankfurt turned violent. At least two stores were looted there, and several others were damaged as police sought to regain control. The Gen Z regelt campaign opposes compulsory military service and calls for greater investment in education. Authorities said the demonstrations were largely peaceful but warned that extremist groups could exploit the movement.

Police in Frankfurt, Munich and Berlin reported as many as 18,000 protesters, about half the roughly 36,000 listed on the organizers’ website.

Organizers had initially expected 182,000 participants, while official numbers on Saturday afternoon indicated turnout was lower.

Frankfurt police said windows had been smashed at several city-center shops and Molotov cocktails were being thrown at emergency services.

Germany’s national school student umbrella organization, BSK, distanced itself from the initiative and planned a separate protest day for November 20.

The federal interior ministry said parts of Germany’s far-left extremist scene and some groups linked to foreign extremist movements had joined efforts to mobilize support.

Published Nov 1, 2026 8:07 am KST

A person dressed in a Batman costume stands in front of a burning trash dumpster, downtown Frankfurt, Oct. 31. DPA/AP-Yonhap

FRANKFURT/BERLIN — Hooded rioters looted stores in Frankfurt late on Saturday after tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets across Germany's biggest cities to demand better education and lower living costs.

The protests followed a wave of Gen Z-led demonstrations across Europe this year. In Serbia, student-led activism helped unseat the country's longtime leader at the ballot box, while protests in France have descended into rioting and looting.

The German protests organised by the campaign group "Gen Z regelt" — "Gen Z takes charge" in German — took place in 34 cities including Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich. The group says it opposes compulsory military service and wants greater investment in education as many young Germans struggle with rising costs.

In Frankfurt, Germany's financial hub, at least two stores were looted as protests turned violent, with several more damaged and police trying to get the situation under control, according to a Reuters witness.

"Violent disturbances are continuing," Frankfurt police said on X. "In the city centre, windows have been smashed at several shops. Molotov cocktails are also being thrown at the emergency services. We urge all bystanders to avoid the city centre or to leave the area."

Official numbers on Saturday afternoon suggested turnout was below the 182,000 participants that organisers initially expected. Police in Frankfurt, Munich and Berlin reported as many as 18,000 protesters, half the roughly 36,000 on the organisers' website.

German authorities said Saturday's demonstrations, which coincide with Halloween festivities, had been largely peaceful, but warned of attempts by extremist groups to exploit the movement.

In Hamburg, some barricades had been set on fire.

"We are here today to fight for peace and freedom, rather than for war and coercion," Gen Z regelt spokesperson Lina Friedrich said in Berlin on Saturday.

"What matters most to us is better support for the health and education systems. We are against compulsory military service and we are in favour of a fairer distribution of the burden."

Luxury shops board up windows

Parts of Germany's far-left extremist scene and some groups linked to foreign extremist movements have joined efforts to mobilise support, according to the federal interior ministry.

"We all have those images from France in our minds — looting, burning houses, burning police vehicles, and attacks on police officers," said Roman Poseck, interior minister for the state of Hesse, whose capital is Germany's financial hub, Frankfurt.

"France must not be held up as a model in this regard."

Some businesses across German cities boarded up windows and planned early closures ahead of the demonstrations due to concerns over possible unrest, including along Berlin's luxury Kurfuerstendamm shopping boulevard.

Organisers have focused on what they see as the growing pressure on younger generations in Europe's largest economy.

"The government has offered no response to our concerns other than to continue making cuts and piling further burdens upon us," said Steve, an 18-year-old due to speak at a rally in Munich, addressing Chancellor Friedrich Merz.

"We will continue to exercise our fundamental right to assemble until you stop ignoring us."

Germany has struggled to revive economic growth. The country also faces growing pressure on pensions and public services as baby boomers retire and the working-age population shrinks.

Questions have been raised about who is driving the campaign and whether it is genuinely youth-led, given the broad mix of political and civil society groups involved.

Germany's national school student umbrella organisation, BSK, has distanced itself from the initiative and plans to hold a separate day of protest on November 20.

Sean Baker, a student at the Technical University of Berlin, said he would join the protests on Saturday to call attention to the poor state of buildings on campus.

"When you go inside and enter the rooms, it looks like an abandoned building," he told Reuters. "Yet this is where we're expected to study on a regular basis."

周六，数万名示威者走上德国34个城市的街头，要求改善教育和降低生活成本。其中，法兰克福的抗议活动演变为暴力冲突。至少两家商店遭到洗劫，另有多家商店受损，警方试图控制局势。“Z世代改革”（Gen Z regelt）运动反对强制兵役，并呼吁加大教育投入。当局表示，示威活动总体上是和平的，但警告称极端组织可能会利用这场运动。

法兰克福、慕尼黑和柏林的警方报告称，抗议者人数多达 18,000 人，约为组织者网站上列出的约 36,000 人的一半。

组织者最初预计会有 182,000 名参与者，但周六下午的官方数据显示，实际到场人数较低。

法兰克福警方称，市中心多家商店的窗户被砸碎，还有人向紧急救援人员投掷燃烧弹。

德国全国中小学生联合会（BSK）与该倡议划清界限，并计划于 11 月 20 日举行单独的抗议活动。

德国联邦内政部表示，德国部分极左翼极端分子和一些与外国极端主义运动有关的团体联合起来，动员各方力量争取支持。

发布于2026年11月1日上午8:07（韩国标准时间）

10月31日，在法兰克福市中心，一名身穿蝙蝠侠服装的人站在一个燃烧的垃圾箱前。（图片来源：DPA/AP-Yonhap）

法兰克福/柏林——周六晚些时候，数万名示威者走上德国各大城市的街头，要求改善教育和降低生活成本。随后，蒙面暴徒在法兰克福洗劫了商店。

今年，欧洲各地爆发了一系列由Z世代主导的示威活动，此次抗议活动正是紧随其后。在塞尔维亚，学生主导的行动主义帮助该国长期执政的领导人在选举中下台；而在法国，抗议活动则演变为骚乱和抢劫。

由名为“Gen Z regelt”（德语意为“Z世代掌权”）的运动组织发起的德国抗议活动在包括柏林、法兰克福和慕尼黑在内的34个城市举行。该组织表示反对义务兵役制，并希望加大对教育的投入，因为许多德国年轻人正面临着不断上涨的生活成本。

据路透社目击者称，在德国金融中心法兰克福，抗议活动演变为暴力事件，至少两家商店遭到洗劫，另有多家商店受损，警方正在努力控制局势。

法兰克福警方在X频道发布消息称：“暴力骚乱仍在继续。市中心多家商店的窗户被砸碎，还有人向紧急救援人员投掷燃烧弹。我们敦促所有旁观者避开市中心或离开该区域。”

周六下午公布的官方数据显示，实际参与人数低于组织者最初预期的18.2万人。法兰克福、慕尼黑和柏林的警方报告称，抗议者人数约为1.8万人，仅为组织者网站上公布的约3.6万人的一半。

德国当局表示，周六的示威活动恰逢万圣节庆祝活动，总体上是和平的，但警告称极端组织可能会试图利用这场运动。

在汉堡，一些路障被纵火焚烧。

“我们今天来到这里是为了争取和平与自由，而不是为了战争和胁迫，”Z世代政权发言人莉娜·弗里德里希周六在柏林表示。

“对我们来说，最重要的是更好地支持医疗和教育系统。我们反对强制兵役，我们赞成更公平地分配兵役负担。”

奢侈品商店纷纷用木板封住橱窗。

据德国联邦内政部称，德国部分极左翼极端主义团体和一些与外国极端主义运动有关联的团体联合起来，努力动员各方支持。

“我们脑海中都浮现出法国的那些画面——抢劫、焚烧房屋、焚烧警车以及袭击警察，”黑森州内政部长罗曼·波塞克说道。黑森州的首府是德国的金融中心法兰克福。

“在这方面，不应将法国视为榜样。”

由于担心可能发生骚乱，德国各地一些城市的商家在示威活动前用木板封住窗户并计划提前关门，柏林的高档购物大道库尔弗斯滕达姆也不例外。

组织者们关注的是他们认为欧洲最大经济体中年轻一代面临的日益增长的压力。

“政府除了继续削减开支、给我们增加更多负担之外，对我们的担忧没有任何回应，”18 岁的史蒂夫说道。他即将在慕尼黑的一次集会上向总理弗里德里希·默茨发表讲话。

“我们将继续行使集会的基本权利，直到你们停止无视我们为止。”

德国一直难以重振经济增长。随着婴儿潮一代退休和劳动年龄人口减少，该国的养老金和公共服务也面临着越来越大的压力。

鉴于参与其中的政治团体和民间社会团体众多，人们不禁质疑这场运动的幕后推手是谁，以及它是否真的由青年主导。

德国全国中小学生联合会（BSK）已与该倡议划清界限，并计划于 11 月 20 日举行单独的抗议活动。

柏林工业大学学生肖恩·贝克表示，他将参加周六的抗议活动，以引起人们对校园建筑状况恶劣的关注。

“当你走进去，进入那些房间，你会觉得这里就像一座废弃的建筑，”他告诉路透社。“然而，我们却被要求定期在这里学习。”