Frankfurt riots after youth protest leave 17 shops damaged, AP reports

Rioting broke out in central Frankfurt after a youth demonstration on Saturday 31 October, with shops looted and police attacked. Seventeen shops were damaged and five looted, according to police figures reported by the Associated Press.

Police in Hesse said property damage, theft and serious assaults on officers took place around Hauptwache, Konstablerwache, the Zeil shopping street and nearby roads. They appealed for witnesses to share photographs or video footage.

The AP reported that more than 100 officers were injured and 54 people, aged between 13 and 29, were detained. It said the situation had calmed by early Sunday after police cordoned off part of the city centre.

The unrest followed a demonstration organised under the slogan “Gen Z regelt” — roughly, “Gen Z’s got this”. The organisers said they opposed violence and distanced themselves from violent acts by people they said were not part of the demonstration.

The AP said more than 100,000 people had taken part in mostly peaceful protests across Germany that day, calling for greater investment in education, housing and climate protection and for everyday life to become more affordable. Violence also broke out in Cologne and Berlin.