German police fired water cannon at young demonstrators in Cologne on Saturday after fireworks were thrown at officers, as a wave of youth-led protests spread across the country, reported by Dawn News.
Demonstrations organised by the movement “GenZ regelt!” meaning “Gen Z has got this”, took place in Berlin, Frankfurt, Cologne and dozens of other cities. The protests began peacefully, with young people demanding affordable housing, better schools, stronger public services and a future they believe politics has ignored.
But after dark, tensions flared. Police said protesters in Cologne targeted officers with fireworks, prompting them to use a water cannon. In Frankfurt, a march was temporarily halted after fireworks were set off. In Berlin, demonstrators threw bottles and eggs, while barricades were set alight in Hamburg, according to Bild. Police also used pepper spray in some areas.
“We will not tolerate violence against emergency workers,” police said.
Thousands of officers had been deployed nationwide, aware that the protests coincided with Halloween and followed violent unrest in France. Despite the evening clashes, most demonstrations remained peaceful.
Protesters carried signs reading “Time for resistance” and “Merz must go”, a direct challenge to Conservative Chancellor Friedrich Merz. Many said they felt shut out of decisions on the cost of living, education, military spending and the government’s new voluntary service programme, which some fear could pave the way for conscription.
“We’re taking to the streets for a life that everyone can afford,” said Veronika Dinter, a spokeswoman for the movement. “Hardly anyone still believes in a better future if everything just continues as it is.”
Police estimated around 5,000 people marched in Berlin, 8,000 in Frankfurt and several thousand in Cologne. Nationwide turnout was below the 170,000 organisers had hoped for, but the protests still marked one of Germany’s largest youth mobilisations in recent years.
The movement has been inspired by similar protests in France and Italy, where young people have also taken to the streets over living costs and government policy. French demonstrations entered a third weekend, after nationwide protests on 17 October descended into some of the country’s worst rioting in years.
German authorities said they were in contact with officials in France and Italy over concerns that foreign radicals might join the protests. But before Saturday, police said they had no evidence of concrete plans for violence.
“GenZ regelt!” has rejected violence, insisting that extremist groups, racism and hate speech have no place in its movement.
For many young Germans, however, the message was simple: they want to be heard before their frustration turns into something harder to control.
