söndag 1 november 2026
German protests turn violent – involving violence and looting
Violence erupted in several locations across Germany during large-scale demonstrations on Saturday.
In Frankfurt, masked rioters threw Molotov cocktails, smashed shop windows, and looted stores.
While Saturday’s demonstrations in over 30 German cities began peacefully, the situation escalated during the evening in several major cities, including Berlin, Cologne, and Hamburg.
In central Frankfurt, masked protesters threw cobblestones, firecrackers, and pyrotechnics at the police, who responded with tear gas and water cannons. According to the police, Molotov cocktails were also thrown at emergency responders. Shop windows were shattered, the central shopping street "Zeil" was cordoned off, and several businesses—including a gun shop—were reportedly looted.
The situation reportedly calmed down overnight into Sunday, though a heavy police presence remains in Frankfurt. Approximately 100 people were also detained for identification purposes.
The demonstrations, dubbed "Gen Z protests," were inspired by recent protests in France and included demands for lower living costs and better school environments. The organizers had called for peaceful protests and stated on Saturday that they distance themselves from "all forms of violence."
Police clash with protesters in Portugal
Portuguese police have stormed tent encampments in Lisbon and Porto that were set up to protest against soaring housing prices.
13 people have been arrested, and several are reported to have been injured.
Clashes broke out after riot police, accompanied by dogs, stormed the camps early Sunday. Police reportedly used batons, and stated that some protesters threw bottles and paint at officers as they attempted to dismantle the tents.
In total, 13 people have been arrested across the two cities, and 13 police officers are reported to have been injured.
An “undetermined number” of civilians were also injured, according to a statement. The activist group Acampada Lisboa claims that over 30 protesters were injured, ten of whom required hospital care.
The encampments had been established following peaceful demonstrations on Saturday against soaring housing prices. The protests were inspired by a similar movement in neighboring Spain.
France: Attempted murder investigation launched following Molotov cocktail attack
French prosecutors have decided to open an investigation into attempted murder after a Molotov cocktail was thrown at gendarmes during clashes at a large-scale demonstration in Paris.
Footage shows a gendarme’s clothing catching fire, with flames spreading up his legs.
As early as Saturday, the country’s Interior Minister, Laurent Nuñez, stated that the incident constituted attempted murder.
For the third consecutive Saturday, protests took place in France against the neglect of schools and the high cost of living. Approximately 70,000 police officers and gendarmes were deployed across the country.
Initially, the demonstrations proceeded peacefully, but by the afternoon, reports emerged of clashes in several French cities.
Night of chaos in Europe – police officers injured by Molotov cocktails
Hundreds of thousands of protesters—and witches—took to the streets across Europe on Saturday.
In Paris, several police officers were injured by Molotov cocktails.
“I call it attempted murder,” says the French Interior Minister.
According to figures from labor unions, half a million people took to the streets in France on Saturday to protest against Emmanuel Macron’s government and the soaring cost of living.
The government stated that 320,000 people participated.
Many of the protesters were dressed in Halloween costumes. One woman was dressed as Marie Antoinette, carrying a sign that read “Let them eat brioche,” while a witch held up a sign saying, “A serving for a revolution.”
In Paris, 70,000 people took part. Most of the demonstrations were peaceful, but as the evening and night progressed, several violent clashes broke out between protesters and the police.
Police used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse the crowd.
In total, 565 people were arrested across the country, and five police officers were injured in Paris—three of them by Molotov cocktails.
Injured police officer: “It starts to sting on the skin”
Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez stated that the demonstrations had “gone well,” but condemned the violent attacks against security and emergency personnel.
A police officer’s clothing caught fire when a petrol bomb hit the ground. “You have time to feel the burning sensation intensify, to notice how your equipment begins to be affected, and to feel your skin start to sting,” the injured police officer told BFMTV.
In Lyon, protesters threw projectiles at the police, who responded with tear gas. In Toulouse, the police deployed water cannons.
Eggs thrown at police
Germany also experienced a turbulent night.
Gen Z protesters took to the streets in Cologne, Frankfurt, and Berlin to demand better education and a lower cost of living, according to German media.
In Frankfurt, men dressed in black and wearing masks used crowbars to smash shop windows along a shopping street. Several arrests have been made.
Violence in Albania
Protests also continued in Tirana, the capital of Albania, where young people are demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama. According to AFP, the demonstration began peacefully but later escalated when youths started throwing stones and petrol bombs at the police.
On Saturday, hundreds of people also marched in Lisbon, Portugal, to protest against the country’s rising housing costs. Early Sunday morning, police entered the protesters’ tent encampment with police dogs, batons, and shields, reports The Guardian.
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