The German police were mobilized throughout the country and the shops protected the windows with tapes in anticipation of the demonstrations that should bring together tens of thousands of young people.
© Fabian Bimmer/Reuters
31/10/2026
by
Lusa
A German police have been mobilized throughout the country today, and commercial establishments have protected the windows with tapes in anticipation of the demonstrations that should bring together tens of thousands of young people.
The organizers of the GenZ regalt movement! (Z Generation will take care of it!) predict more than 170,000 participants in more than 30 cities, including Berlin, Frankfurt and Cologne.
These demonstrations are inspired by similar movements in other European countries, especially in France and Italy, where young people expressed their indignation at the political elites who accuse them of ignoring their concerns.
The GenZ regalt movement! claims to reject all violence, but the police are taking precautions: thousands of policemen have been mobilized, and some luxury jewelry stores and clothing boutiques have protected their windows with tapes to avoid possible looting.
The demands of the movement range from the high cost of living and the precariousness of schools to budget cuts and, more broadly speaking, what they refer to as political decisions taken without proper consideration by young people.
“ The situation of young people is precarious and yet still not heard,” said Veronika Dinter, spokesman for the movement, quoted by the news agency France Presse.
“ Institutions designed to prepare young people for life have insufficient funding,” he added.
The protesters also denounce the sharp increase in military spending and a new voluntary service programme created to strengthen the ranks of the Army, which, according to them, will pave the way for the reintroduction of compulsory military service.
The authorities fear that demonstrations organised for Halloween may be marked by violence similar to that seen in other parts of Europe.
Major demonstrations are also planned for today in France. The October 17 protests caused some of the country's worst disturbances in recent years, reported to France Presse (AFP).
Berlin is in contact with the French and Italian authorities due to concerns about the presence of radical activists from abroad to join the protests in Germany.
The authorities, however, claim not to have found evidence of concrete plans for violence.
The movement “Generation Z is the boss!” states that “extremist groups, unconstitutional symbols, racism and hate speech have no place in our country, regardless of their affiliation”.