Rioters loot shops in Frankfurt as Germany’s Gen Z protests turn violent
Tens of thousands joined youth-led protests across Germany on Saturday. Mostly peaceful daytime marches ended in evening clashes in Frankfurt, Berlin, Cologne and Hamburg, and several police officers were injured, AFP reported.
Masked rioters looted shops in Frankfurt on Saturday evening, AFP reported. Protesters in the financial hub threw stones, fireworks and petrol bombs. Police responded with water cannon and pepper spray. A large section of the city's main shopping street was sealed off, and a police helicopter circled overhead. Police said in a statement that "violent riots" were under way. Shop windows were smashed and Molotov cocktails were thrown at emergency staff. A gun store was among the shops looted. Police said they arrested a suspect and seized two weapons. The Bild daily reported that a trainer shop and a perfume store were also targeted. At least one officer was injured in Frankfurt. Hesse state interior minister Roman Poseck said that "around 100 clearly identified left-wing extremists" had infiltrated the Frankfurt protest. He called the way the event ended shameful. Police also used water cannon in Hamburg and Cologne after demonstrators threw fireworks, stones and bottles at emergency workers. In Berlin, police said they were pelted with eggs and bottles at an evening protest not organised by the main movement. An officer in Bonn suffered minor injuries. Police reportedly arrested large numbers of rioters. The protests were organised by the group "GenZ…
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