Arabic version: أعمال شغب في فرانكفورت تُصيب أكثر من 100 شرطي
According to ABC News, looters and rioters damaged shops and injured more than 100 police officers in Frankfurt after student-led protests calling for better education and lower living costs took place across Germany over the weekend.
Frankfurt became the main flashpoint on Saturday, when tens of thousands of people rallied in dozens of German cities in demonstrations organised by campaign group Gen Z regelt, roughly translated as “Gen Z takes charge”. Many of the protests were peaceful, with younger voters urging government action to improve their lives.
Roman Poseck, interior minister of the state of Hesse, said hooded rioters damaged 17 stores, including five that were looted. Police deployed 1,300 officers and arrested 54 people aged between 13 and 29, he said. Frankfurt police reported smashed windows and petrol bombs, rocks and bottles thrown at emergency services.
Mr Poseck said police estimated they were dealing with between 1,000 and 1,500 violent troublemakers and said many of those involved had an immigrant background, citing police information. German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt said perpetrators would be identified and held to account, and called for severe penalties. He said border controls had been tightened before the protests over concerns that extremist groups from abroad could exploit them to stir riots. In France, protests continued largely peacefully for a third weekend after riots and looting on October 17 damaged shops, public buildings and businesses.
