Gen Z protests in Germany: Bambule, riots, left-wing radicals?

Hesse's Interior Minister Roman Poseck is beefing up again. “We will not allow violent left-wing radicals to turn our city center into a place of destruction and accept property damage or worse in the process,” said the CDU politician on Thursday in Frankfurt am Main, with a view to the announced Gen Z protests.

The “Gen Z regulates” initiative has called for protests nationwide this Saturday. According to the company's own information, demonstrations with over 150,000 participants will take place in over 30 cities, including Frankfurt. Around 10,000 people are expected here alone, marching from the Mainkai through the city center.

Roman Poseck believes the number is exaggerated. According to the Interior Minister, he is assuming a low four-digit number of demonstrators. Nevertheless, due to the expected arrival of around 80 left-wing extremists, there is a risk that the protest will be infiltrated by people with violent potential who could use the concerns of “Gen Z regulates” for their own purposes. The police will intervene consistently and in a timely manner to ensure safety and prevent damage, said Poseck.

Frankfurt's police chief Stefan Müller also stated that his forces were "currently preparing intensively for deployment in order to enable peaceful protests, but also to respond consistently to possible crimes." The danger comes not only from the suspected 80 left-wing extremists, but also from “experience-oriented young people” without a political message.

The “Gen Z regulates” initiative calls, among other things, for an affordable life and money for schools, addiction help and psychotherapy instead of cuts. Similar demonstrations recently took place in France, Spain, Italy and Albania. Last but not least, France made headlines with images of violent riots and looting.

At least the Frankfurt retail sector apparently doesn't feel as threatened as the Hessian Interior Minister. In any case, the shops in Frankfurt will remain open on Saturday. “Our city centers are places of trade, encounters and social life,” said Jochen Ruths, President of the Hesse Trade Association. “Our common goal is a peaceful Saturday on which people can visit Frankfurt as usual to shop and relax.”

Like the Federal Student Conference before it, the Hesse State Student Representative Council (LSV) has now distanced itself from the announced protests. With the numerous planned rallies, it remains unclear who exactly is behind them. In addition, the demands went far beyond the LSV's responsibility. The reason given was to distance oneself from violence.

Whether the fear of outbreaks of violence is justified or exaggerated? It was clearly observed that parts of the left-wing radical scene and isolated groups from the spectrum of foreign-related extremism also took part in the mobilization, said a spokesman for the Federal Ministry of the Interior in Berlin on Wednesday.

However, the federal security authorities have “no further information on specific calls for violence or planned violent riots”. On the contrary: “The calls for mobilization that have become known so far emphasize the peaceful nature of these protests,” continued the spokesman for Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU).

Sharp criticism of the general scaremongering also came from Green Party leader Felix Banaszak on Thursday. “I think it is a mistake to now only react to the very legitimate concerns that are being formulated with warnings of violence,” Banaszak told the Germany editorial network. "It is clear that violence should not play a role. But from my point of view, the dissatisfaction and frustration of young people is absolutely understandable."