WATCH Rioters ransack shops as Gen Z protests rock Germany
More than 30 people were detained in Frankfurt after violent mobs attacked police and ransacked stores during nationwide protests.
Multiple shops were looted in Frankfurt, Germany's financial capital, on Saturday night as nationwide protests against rising cost of living descended into violence. Despite organizers urging demonstrators to remain peaceful, groups of rioters pelted police with stones, bottles and pyrotechnics.
Violent Escalation
Videos from the scene show rioters rampaging through the streets, smashing windows and ransacking stores. Rioters also broke into a gun shop and stole weapons, two of which were later recovered by police.
Broader Unrest
Hesse Interior Minister Roman Poseck described the unrest as 'a disastrous combination of left-wing extremists and violent young people unleashing their aggression.' He claimed around 100 people motivated by 'left-wing' extremism had infiltrated an initially peaceful demonstration.
Violent clashes were also reported in other major German cities, including Hamburg, Cologne, Berlin and Stuttgart, where rioters attacked police, set fires and damaged property. The unrest coincided with violent protests in France and Switzerland amid broader demonstrations over economic grievances across Europe.
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