Youth protests spread across Europe as France sees third weekend of rallies

Youth-led protests continued across Europe on Saturday, with France experiencing a third consecutive weekend of demonstrations and Germany holding rallies in more than 30 cities. The movements have centred on living costs, education and demands that governments pay greater attention to younger generations. French authorities estimated that 320,000 people protested nationwide, compared with government estimates of 550,000 on October 17 and 410,000 on October 24.

Organisers’ figures were higher than the official totals. More than 560 people had been arrested by Saturday night, according to the reports. The French gatherings were overwhelmingly peaceful, but several deteriorated after marches ended.

In Paris and other cities, small groups set fires and threw glass bottles and fireworks at police. Officers responded with stun grenades and tear gas, prompting many peaceful protesters to leave with coughing and streaming eyes. Around 70,000 police and gendarmes were deployed after Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez warned of a “very high risk” of disorder, particularly after dark on Halloween.

Paris authorities rerouted marches away from central shops, government buildings and tourist areas. Restrictions were also imposed around Place de la République, Les Halles and the Champs-Elysées. The protests began last month with high school students objecting to neglected school buildings, teacher shortages and a university admissions system they considered unfair to disadvantaged students.

Trade unions and others angry with President Emmanuel Macron’s leadership later joined the movement, broadening its demands. In Germany, the “GenZ regelt!” initiative said its demonstrations addressed education, health, climate protection and the cost of living, while opposing any return to military conscription. Police and the movement differed in their descriptions of turnout: DW reported protests in 34 German cities, while the organisers cited about 120,000 participants.

France 24 referred to tens of thousands. Germany’s daytime rallies were described as largely peaceful, but evening violence occurred in Frankfurt, Hamburg, Cologne, Berlin, Bonn and Leipzig. Police used water cannon or pepper spray in several cities after fireworks, stones, bottles or other objects were thrown.

Frankfurt saw looting and smashed storefronts, while police said officers were injured. The reports provide no comparable official nationwide turnout figure for Germany. They do show a movement whose grievances overlap across borders but whose outcomes varied sharply: France recorded hundreds of arrests after repeated disorder, while German police-union official Andreas Rosskopf said the country’s main demonstrations remained “very peaceful” and that major property damage had so far been avoided.