demonstrations | Gen Z protests: Police see no evidence of riots

Young people demonstrate for more money for education and against compulsory military service. Photo: Sven Kaeuler/dpa This Saturday, young people around the “Gen Z regulates” movement want to demonstrate in 23 German cities for better education, affordable living and against conscription. But while politicians warn of violent riots based on the French model, several police authorities have so far seen no concrete evidence of planned acts of violence. This emerges from internal assessments of the situation and public statements. The security authorities are nevertheless preparing for larger operations.

The contradiction becomes particularly clear in an internal assessment of state security in Baden-Württemberg, which the “Welt” reported on. Accordingly, there is currently no concrete evidence that violent riots are being planned or criminal offenses are being prepared in connection with the demonstrations. The findings so far indicate that the protest intentions were predominantly peaceful. There were also no reliable indications of impending riots found in the evaluated Telegram communication channels. Individual statements in favor of violent forms of protest and illegal pyrotechnics met with little approval.

For a demonstration in Stuttgart, for which around 500 people were initially registered, the state security agency therefore came to the conclusion that it could be expected to be largely peaceful. There is also no concrete evidence of an increased risk of possible attacks on police departments or other security authorities. The police believe that isolated crimes are fundamentally possible. However, there is no evidence of targeted control of the protest movement by so-called left-wing extremist organizations or concrete violence-oriented mobilization efforts.

There are similar assessments from other cities. The Munich police also said on Tuesday that they had not yet had any concrete evidence of planned acts of violence or damage to property. The police in Stuttgart say they currently see no indication that the demonstrations here could lead to riots like those in France. The North Rhine-Westphalia Ministry of the Interior also announced that there is currently no concrete evidence of possible violent actions or developments comparable to those in France.

However, the public debate is characterized by much harsher warnings. After sometimes violent protests in France, in which shops were looted, buildings were attacked and fires were set, but according to reports from demonstrators there was also harsh police violence, several Union politicians are warning against transferring the riots to Germany. Hesse's Interior Minister Roman Poseck (CDU) said the protests could be exploited by the left-wing spectrum. Brandenburg's Interior Minister Jan Redmann (CDU) sees the danger that violent criminals could use Halloween masks to commit crimes. Bavaria's Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann (CSU) called for violent extremist structures to be identified and stopped at an early stage.

In Stuttgart, too, the CDU in the local council called for a precise assessment of the potential danger and brought a ban on the demonstration into play. However, the city, as the responsible assembly authority, has so far seen no reason for this. A ban requires actual indications of a danger that lead to the expectation of an unpeaceful outcome. The situation will continue to be monitored; If necessary, conditions are possible.

The police union (GdP) also warns of a possible hijacking of the protests by radical groups. Its federal chairman Jochen Kopelke said that conflicts and violent situations had to be expected. He referred to what he believes to be a protest milieu networked across Europe that uses social media for mobilization. At the same time, he called on politicians to take the concerns of young people seriously. If a generation draws attention to problems in the education system, politicians should not only react when the situation escalates.

The German Police Union (DPolG) calls for consistent action in the event of attacks on emergency services and violations of the ban on masking. Its federal chairman Heiko Teggatz referred to the overlap with Halloween and possible attempts by left-wing extremist or Islamist groups to infiltrate the demonstrations. However, the DPolG does not provide any evidence for these assumptions. In the event of serious escalations, additional means of deployment may also need to be discussed.

How many people will actually take to the streets is still unclear. According to the “Gen Z Rules” initiative, more than 139,000 people had registered online to take part in the 23 cities by Monday. However, these commitments cannot be equated with binding numbers of participants. In North Rhine-Westphalia, for example, the number of participants registered with the police was significantly lower than the information on the campaign website. Initially no meetings were registered in Dortmund and Bonn.

The police's assessments also point to uncertainties in mobilization. The Baden-Württemberg investigators believe it is possible that influencers have so far reached little politicized young people. However, no concrete danger situation can be derived from this. The mobilization events will continue to be monitored.

The initiative itself rejects any allegations of violence. In her position paper she explains that young people no longer want to accept that their future is being decided without them being heard. Investments in education, health, climate protection and social security as well as an affordable life are required. The organizers oppose conscription and cuts at the expense of the younger generation. The protest should be non-partisan; Political differences should take second place to common concerns.

However, the reference to the protests in France, Belgium and Spain is expressly part of the mobilization. The initiative sees this as an international youth movement whose concerns should also be heard in Germany. However, it does not automatically follow from the orientation towards the protests abroad that their violent side effects will be repeated.

This means that two developments stand side by side: a political and media debate that is heavily influenced by the images from France and spreads fear among the population just in time for Halloween, and several police assessments of the situation that do not identify any reliable evidence of planned riots. Whether the protests on Saturday will be peaceful will only become clear on site. What causes greater uncertainty, however, is the extent to which conservative actors prematurely conjure up threat scenarios instead of dealing with the actual issues and reasons for the demonstrations. With agencies

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