Initially, demonstrations in more than 30 German cities were peaceful on Saturday, but protests turned violent in several major cities, including Berlin, Cologne and Hamburg, during the evening.
In central Frankfurt, masked demonstrators threw paving stones, firecrackers and pyrotechnics at police, who responded with tear gas and water cannons. Molotov cocktails were also thrown at emergency services, according to police. Shop windows were smashed, the central shopping street Zeil was blocked off, and several shops, including a gun shop, were reportedly looted.
The situation is said to have calmed down overnight, but the police presence remains high in Frankfurt. Around 100 people were also detained for identification.
The demonstrations, known as "Gen Z protests", were inspired by recent protests in France calling for lower living costs and better school environments. The organizers had called for peaceful protests and said in a statement on Saturday that they distanced themselves from "all forms of violence."
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