Around 120,000 young people took part in demonstrations across Germany on Saturday, according to organizers. Police figures put the turnout at more than 65,000. Most of the protests remained peaceful, but the evening ended in serious clashes in several cities, particularly Frankfurt am Main.
In Frankfurt, stones and Molotov cocktails were thrown, shop windows were smashed and five businesses were looted, according to police figures cited by Süddeutsche Zeitung correspondent Kathrin Wiesel-Lancé. A further 17 shops were damaged, while more than 100 police officers were injured. Similar confrontations took place in Cologne, Hamburg and Berlin, although they were less severe than in Frankfurt.
Fifty-four people aged between 13 and 29 were arrested in Frankfurt. Most reportedly held German nationality. Hesse Interior Minister Roman Poseck and Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt described the group involved as predominantly shaped by migrants, a characterization Wiesel-Lancé questioned because of the ambiguity surrounding terms such as “migrant background.”
Education Minister Karin Prien condemned the violence but said the young demonstrators’ underlying concerns should still be addressed. “The young people’s concerns are legitimate and highly relevant,” she said.
The unrest is discussed in the Süddeutsche Zeitung podcast “Auf den Punkt,” which also covers the start of the trial over the rampage in Leipzig and calls for tougher penalties for sex offenders.
Sources: Süddeutsche Zeitung.