Germany's Gen Z takes to the streets in more than 30 cities
The "Gen Z regelt" initiative has called rallies in more than 30 cities demanding more spending on education and climate and opposing conscription. Authorities say they see no signs of planned riots.
Archive image · Photo: Leonhard Lenz / Wikimedia Commons, CC0 (cropped and resized)
Young people across Germany are holding a nationwide day of protest on Saturday. The initiative "Gen Z regelt" has called rallies in more than 30 cities, including Frankfurt and Bremen. Tens of thousands of people are expected to take part.
In a position paper, the initiative calls for investment in education, social security, health care and affordable housing instead of cuts that hit the young. It also opposes compulsory military service and expanded surveillance. Organizers stress the protests are meant to be peaceful and say they will keep going after Saturday. Deputy government spokesman Sebastian Hille said he was "honestly still having some difficulty seeing substantive demands."
Security authorities have no indication of planned violent riots, ZDFheute reported. Germany's domestic intelligence agency has nonetheless warned that left-wing extremist groups could try to exploit the protests. In Bremen, the state intelligence office said violence-oriented groups were also urging people to join, though police there see no signs of unrest. Bremen officials reminded participants that covering one's face to avoid identification is banned.