Germany’s youth-led protests ended in scattered clashes on Saturday evening after a day that drew far fewer people than organisers had hoped for, with police firing water cannon in Cologne to disperse protesters who had targeted officers with fireworks.
The demonstrations, organised by the group “GenZ regelt!” — “Gen Z has got this” — took place in Berlin, Frankfurt, Cologne and dozens of other cities, the latest in a wave of youth-led protests across Europe. Organisers had expected more than 160,000 people nationwide. Police figures cited by AFP put the turnout at around 5,000 in Berlin and 8,000 in Frankfurt, with several thousand in Cologne — well below the hoped-for total, though gatherings were sizeable in several cities.
For most of the day the protests were peaceful. Marches were halted in Cologne and Frankfurt after demonstrators set off fireworks, and police said a Cologne march had been stopped earlier for the same reason. As evening fell, tensions rose in several places: police in Cologne used water cannon after saying protesters had targeted officers with fireworks, while in Berlin protesters hurled bottles and eggs, barricades were set ablaze in Hamburg, and police used pepper spray in some places, according to the daily Bild as cited by AFP.
“We will not tolerate violence against emergency workers,” police said in a statement quoted by AFP.
The movement’s spokeswoman, Veronika Dinter, said protesters were taking to the streets “for a life that everyone can afford”, adding: “Hardly anyone still believes in a better future if everything just continues as it is.” Its complaints range from the high cost of living and poorly maintained schools to government spending cuts, sharply increased military spending and a new voluntary service model aimed at boosting troop numbers, which protesters fear is a step towards bringing back conscription.
The “GenZ regelt!” movement explicitly rejects violence, saying extremist groups, anti-constitutional symbols, racism and hate speech have no place in its protests. Authorities had warned before the day that extremist groups might try to exploit the movement, and thousands of police were deployed across the country, with shops boarding up windows in some areas amid fears of unrest like that seen in France.
The protests follow a wave of Gen Z-led demonstrations across Europe this year, including three weekends of protests in France over living costs and public services. In Germany, the day’s lower-than-hoped turnout leaves open the question of whether the movement can sustain momentum: organisers have already pointed to further actions, including a student rally planned for 20 November, while analysts note Germany has a different tradition of confrontational protest from France.
Sources: AFP, “Police Fire Water Cannon During Tense ‘Gen Z’ Protests in Germany” (31 October 2026), https://www.newsworm.de/news/police-fire-water-cannon-during-tense-gen-z-protests-in-germany ; Reuters, “Gen Z protests reach Germany as over 160,000 expected at Halloween rallies” (31 October 2026), https://www.reuters.com/world/europe/gen-z-protests-reach-germany-over-160000-expected-halloween-rallies-2026-10-31/
