The key facts

  • The rallies took place in 34 German cities; 184,400 people registered
  • By 8:00 p.m. local time, organizers counted over 100,000 participants; the count did not include 6–8 cities
  • Demands: rejection of conscription, education reform, action against rising prices

Mass youth rallies in 34 cities

On October 31, youth demonstrations took place in Germany as part of the 'Generation Z Decides' initiative. According to figures cited by Bild, by 8:00 p.m. local time the number of participants had exceeded 100,000, with the count not yet including data from roughly six to eight cities. The rallies were held in 34 cities across the country, and 184,400 people had registered to take part.

Demands and nature of the protests

Among the protesters' main demands are reform of the education system, measures to combat the rising cost of living, and rejection of the reinstatement of compulsory military service in Germany. The organizers stress that the demonstrations are exclusively peaceful and non-partisan in nature; participants also expressed solidarity with youth protest movements in France, Belgium and Spain.

Authorities' concerns and background

It had been reported in advance that on October 31 rallies were planned in more than 20 cities, including Berlin, Hamburg, Cologne, Munich and Frankfurt. Bild wrote that Germany's intelligence services and Interior Ministry were concerned about the possibility of radicals hijacking official peaceful demonstrations. In addition, earlier in Berlin students blocked the entrance to a university. Sources do not report any actual incidents during the demonstrations themselves.