San Francisco Frontiers - Germans join Europe's wave of 'Gen Z' protests

In Berlin, Frankfurt, Cologne and dozens of other cities, demonstrators turned out for the protests organised by the group "GenZ regelt!" (GenZ has got this).

They have been inspired by similar movements across Europe, including in France and Italy. Thousands of police were deployed nationwide and some shops boarded up their windows, with authorities fearful violence could break out.

There were reports of fireworks being set off at some protests and several arrests, although the demonstrations appeared mostly peaceful by the early evening.

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

"We're taking to the streets for a life that everyone can afford," said Veronika Dinter, a spokeswoman for the "GenZ regelt!" movement.

"Hardly anyone still believes in a better future if everything just continues as it is."

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 demos -

But the numbers of protesters appeared below those hoped for by organisers.

In Cologne police said turnout was significantly below the 15,000 participants who had registered, without giving a precise figure.

In Berlin it was around 2,700, in Munich around 1,800 and in Frankfurt about 1,000.

Before the demonstrations, organisers said more than 170,000 people had registered to take part nationwide.

Authorities have been worried the protests, coinciding with Halloween, could be marred by the same kind of violence seen elsewhere in Europe.

Protests were also taking place in France for a third straight weekend. Nationwide demonstrations there on October 17 degenerated into some of the country's worst rioting in years.

Berlin is in contact with officials in France and Italy amid fears that radicals from overseas could seek to join the German protests.

But, prior to the protests, authorities said that they had not seen evidence of concrete plans for violence.

The "GenZ regelt!" movement explicitly rejects violence.

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

Christian Volk, an expert in protest movements, said there was the potential to see a major one in Germany.

But Volk, from Berlin's Humboldt University, told AFP there were key differences from France, which has a "completely different tradition when it comes to confrontational forms of protest".

R.Baker--SFF