Germany Draws 120,000 in New Protests as 320,000 March Again Across France
Updated
Updated · CNN International · Oct 31
Germany Draws 120,000 in New Protests as 320,000 March Again Across France
3 articles · Updated · CNN International · Oct 31
Summary
120,000 people joined Halloween-timed protests across Germany on Saturday, extending France’s cost-of-living unrest into Berlin, Frankfurt, Cologne and Munich under the youth-led “Gen Z has got this!” banner.
High living costs, underfunded schools and universities, environmental concerns and possible mandatory military service drove the German marches, which organizers said were intended to maximize turnout and visibility.
Cologne, Hamburg and Frankfurt saw the worst disorder: police used water cannons after fireworks were set off, responded to fires and attacks on emergency workers, and arrested a suspect after Molotov cocktails were thrown and shop windows smashed.
320,000 people also marched across France, including 70,000 in Paris, down from 550,000 on October 17 and 410,000 a week later; authorities reported 296 detentions by 6 p.m.
70,000 extra officers were deployed in France amid fears of renewed looting and Halloween-linked “purge” gatherings, as the protests build toward a nationwide union-backed strike on November 5.