Germany's 'Gen Z' protests: Police agency sees no sign of widespread violence
Ahead of youth protests in more than 30 German cities, the BKA sees only isolated calls for violence. A police union still warns of extremists.
Symbolic image · Photo: Leonhard Lenz / Wikimedia Commons, CC0 (cropped and resized)
The "Gen Z regelt" movement plans nationwide protests from 2 p.m. on Saturday, in at least 34 cities according to Euronews. Its demands include more money for schools and psychotherapy, affordable living, climate action and no return of conscription. The organizers say the protest is "peaceful, without exception."
The Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) sees no indication that the protests will be fundamentally violent, with only isolated calls for violence in comments and posts, Joyn reported. The Interior Ministry warned, however, that parts of the far-left scene and groups with foreign links could take part. Police union GdP chief Jochen Kopelke said he feared "violent extremists infiltrating peaceful protests"; extra officers have been called in from their weekend off.
Hamburg police are planning several units of officers and drones, with almost 9,400 people signed up online there. Organizers in Munich expect about 1,000 participants, according to police, and Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann said he did not expect riots like those in France.