Europe's cost-of-living protests turn violent: 320,000 march in France, shops looted in Frankfurt
A wave of youth-led protests over the cost of living, underfunded schools and public spending cuts swept across Europe on Saturday, 31 October. About 320,000 people marched in France, according to the Interior Ministry, and thousands more in Germany. Most rallies were peaceful during the day, but clashes with police broke out after dark in several cities, and rioters looted shops in central Frankfurt.
In France, it was the third weekend of protests in a row. The Interior Ministry said 320,000 people took part nationwide, including 70,000 in Paris, and that the marches went smoothly within the declared routes. It added that "radical elements" in cities including Bordeaux, Toulouse and Marseille tried to reach city centres to vandalise and loot. Police fired tear gas in Paris and Lyon in the late afternoon, fires burned in the streets of Marseille and clashes were reported in Rennes and Toulouse. More than 290 people were arrested, according to DW.
In Germany, the demonstrations were organised by the campaign group Gen Z regelt ("Gen Z takes charge") against underfunded schools, the high cost of living, spending cuts and military service. Authorities in Frankfurt, Munich and Berlin counted up to 18,000 protesters, about half the organisers' estimate. In Frankfurt, the country's financial centre, rioters smashed shop windows, including those of a gun shop, and threw Molotov cocktails at emergency services; police said many people were arrested. Water cannon were used in Berlin, Cologne and Hamburg after protesters threw fireworks, stones and bottles.
"What matters most to us is better support for the health and education systems. We are against compulsory military service," Gen Z regelt spokesperson Lina Friedrich said. The protests follow a general strike and mass rallies in Italy against rising living costs and defence spending, and housing protests in Lisbon, where thousands returned to the streets on Saturday to demand that the government scrap a rental bill.