Shops looted as German cost of living protests turn violent

Key Points:

• Riots and looting erupted in central Frankfurt and other German cities such as Berlin, Cologne, and Hamburg following largely peaceful protests over the cost of living, with police using water cannons to disperse violent protesters.
• The protests, organized by the youth campaign group Gen Z regelt, drew thousands to demonstrate against school underfunding, high living costs, public spending cuts, and compulsory military service.
• Frankfurt police reported violent clashes involving smashed shop windows, Molotov cocktails thrown at emergency services, and the seizure of weapons after arrests, with around 100 identified left-wing extremists infiltrating the protests.
• Authorities closed off a large section of Frankfurt's main shopping street, made numerous arrests, and noted that actual turnout was about half of the organizers' estimates, with similar unrest seen in other major German cities.
• Hesse's interior minister condemned the violence, warning against emulating the destructive protests seen recently in France, emphasizing the need for peaceful demonstrations focused on social issues.