The key facts

  • Stores looted in Frankfurt, including a gun shop; windows smashed, garbage bins set on fire
  • 'Generation Z Decides' actions took place in more than 20 German cities
  • According to media reports citing sources, about 100,000 people joined the rallies, out of 184,000 registered

Stores looted in Frankfurt

Participants of mass riots in Frankfurt, Germany, looted stores, including a gun shop among the affected businesses. According to journalists, protesters also broke road signs, smashed windows in many buildings and set fire to garbage bins left on the streets. This is reported by Gazeta.Ru citing RT.

Scale of the actions and authorities' concerns

The riots unfolded against the backdrop of a nationwide wave of youth protests. As the outlet Bildreported, on October 31 large-scale youth actions were planned in more than 20 German cities — Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, Cologne and other localities. German intelligence services and law enforcement agencies had previously expressed concern that the official peaceful demonstrations could be hijacked by radicals.

How many people took to the streets

According to media reports citing sources, a total of about 100,000 peopletook part in the rallies. The actions were held as part of the 'Generation Z Decides' initiative; more than 184,000 people had originally registered to participate. The figure currently cited does not include participants in demonstrations in roughly six to eight cities, so the actual number of those who turned out may be higher.

Reaction

The mass riots in Germany also drew international attention: a special representative of the President of Russia commented on what happened, however the content of his assessment is not given in available publications.