Frankfurt: Looting after Gen-Z protest, over 30 arrests
Following a peaceful Gen-Z protest in Frankfurt, the situation escalated on Saturday evening. Rioters looted shops, destroyed vehicles and set fires, prompting police to respond with over 1,000 officers.
Frankfurt descends into chaos after Gen-Z protest
According to hessenschau.de, the situation in Frankfurt city centre escalated significantly on Saturday evening following an initially peaceful Gen-Z protest. After the planned demonstration was dissolved, violent clashes broke out between rioters and police. The city, which had appeared stable throughout the day, descended into chaos marked by provocations, rioting and looting.
Police responded with a massive deployment. According to their own statements, more than 1,000 officers were present in the city centre, equipped with water cannons and armoured vehicles. Support came from special operations units (SEK) from other Hesse police departments. So far, over 30 people have been provisionally arrested.
The rioters caused considerable property damage. Shop windows were smashed, including at the sneaker shop 43einhalb and the Frankfurt running shop near Zeil. A parked police vehicle in Schäfergasse was completely destroyed: windows broken, tyres punctured. The Snipes store on Zeil suffered such extensive damage that police forces secured the area to prevent further looting.
A particular flashpoint developed following an attack on a weapons shop on Berliner Straße. The SEK moved in and arrested two rioters. Police seized two firearms, the origin of which remains unclear. Heavily armed officers subsequently guarded the area around the shop.
The unrest initially concentrated on Zeil, but increasingly spread to the surrounding area. Eschenheimer Tor became an additional flashpoint with clashes between rioters and police forces. Throughout the city centre, rioters set fire to rubbish bins, and firecrackers exploded repeatedly. Police were forced to remain active at numerous locations late into the evening.
Larger groups of people were detained for checks and identity verification. On Freßgasse, for example, one person was provisionally arrested. Officers expected the unrest to continue throughout the night.
Interior Minister Roman Poseck condemned the riot night in the strongest terms. "I am shocked by the violent excesses in Frankfurt. We have seen images that we did not want to see," the CDU politician told the German Press Agency. He spoke of a "devastating combination of left-wing extremists and violent young people" and announced harsh action. The government would take action against those who disregarded social rules and attacked society.
The organisers of the original protest clearly distanced themselves from the escalation. More than four hours after the Gen-Z demonstration was called off, the organisers of "Gen Z regelt" emphasised via the Telegram messenger service that the majority of participants had been peaceful and respectful. They regretted the dissolution and wanted to "carefully examine events and possible mistakes to learn from them". The negative events should not cause people to forget that the event itself had been peaceful in nature.
The chaotic situation was further complicated by party-goers, who appeared to have been unaware of the rioting, still pressing towards Zeil and towards Gibson, whilst police and emergency services struggling to control the situation had no end to their shift in sight.
Source: Google News DE — Crime (de)