European Protests Turn Violent Over Cost of Living
Clashes erupted in Germany, France, and Italy as tens of thousands demanded lower costs and better public services.
By Layla Richardson ·
Security forces in Germany and France clashed with demonstrators on Saturday amid a wave of protests against the rising cost of living. In France, 70,000 police officers and gendarmes were deployed for the third weekend of unrest. In Germany, tens of thousands of people joined marches in more than 30 cities organized by the movement Gen Z Takes Responsibility. Protesters demanded increased investment in education and healthcare, measures to ease household expenses, and an end to plans for compulsory military service.
Violence marked several major German cities. In Cologne, police canceled a planned march after participants covered their faces and used pyrotechnics. Clashes broke out as authorities dispersed a gathering along the Rhine River, prompting the deployment of a water cannon. In Hamburg, barricades were set on fire. In Stuttgart, officers halted a march several times because participants had covered their faces and ignited pyrotechnic devices.
The main rally in Berlin near the Brandenburg Gate ended without incident. Police estimated attendance at approximately 5,000, while organizers claimed 11,000 people participated. Later in the day, about 300 people gathered for a separate demonstration at Rosenthaler Platz. Reporters from Germany's public broadcaster noted a group dressed in black and reported that firecrackers were thrown at police. Organizers of the main rally distanced themselves from this second demonstration and urged participants to refrain from violence.
In Lyon, France, clashes erupted after a march reached Place Jean Macé. According to Lyon Mag, groups of protesters vandalized a tram station, threw objects, and fired fireworks toward police officers. Responding with tear gas, authorities reported one person was injured and evacuated. Organizers stated that 20,000 people attended the demonstration. During the protest, footage showed three people standing on the roof of a shelter at a public transportation station while onlookers chanted that Israel is a murderer. Protesters were also filmed trampling Israeli and US flags before setting them on fire.
Preliminary figures released at 2 p.m. local time indicated that 15,000 people participated in 65 protest actions across France. Twenty-seven people were detained or arrested in the country. In Paris, demonstrators marched along an approved route on the eastern outskirts after the Council of State upheld restrictions on the procession. Le Monde reported no significant clashes in the capital. In Marseille, several hundred people gathered in the Réformés area despite a ban. An unauthorized march subsequently set off toward Parc Longchamp, where police conducted identity checks.
In Italy, police conducted 60 searches across 23 cities targeting suspects accused of inciting violence online. This operation followed a nationwide strike organized by the USB trade union on Friday. While most demonstrations remained peaceful, clashes broke out in Rome and Turin in the evening. In Rome, protesters threw objects at police, set garbage bins on fire, and attempted to advance toward parliament. Eight people were detained following attempts to break through barriers. In Milan, protesters blocked the eastern ring road for about an hour and a half.
Italy's Interior Ministry estimated that approximately 255,000 people participated in protests nationwide. Organizers claimed the number was 1.5 million. In Tirana, Albania, dozens of masked individuals set garbage bins ablaze outside the Education Ministry and threw paving stones at police officers. Earlier in the day, hundreds of people had demonstrated peacefully at the site, demanding the resignation of Prime Minister Edi Rama.
In Portugal, thousands participated in demonstrations supporting housing rights in Lisbon and Porto. Representatives of the ombudsman's office arrived in Lisbon to monitor police conduct. No new clashes were reported in those updates. In Germany, a nationwide update issued during the afternoon described most protests as peaceful, despite the incidents in major cities.
