Generation Z protests in Germany: Merz warns of penalties for violence

Following violent incidents over the weekend at protests called by the “Generation Z” group in several German cities, Chancellor Friedrich Merz warned that his government would not tolerate such acts. He said people who attack police officers or emergency responders, as well as those who commit robberies, would be punished.

In a speech he is due to deliver in Berlin at a conference of local leaders of the Christian Democratic Union (CDU), Merz stresses that violence has no place on Germany’s streets. He says attacks on police officers and emergency responders, as well as the looting of shops, undermine freedom, show contempt for society and harm the legitimate interests of young people. Offenders, the chancellor warns, will face the full force of the law.

Merz said he understood young people’s concerns and demands, but drew a clear distinction between those who protested peacefully and those involved in violence.

Thousands of young people took part in rallies held over the weekend in several German cities. Most of the protests were peaceful, but clashes with police, damage to businesses and looting were reported in Frankfurt and other cities. In Frankfurt alone, more than 100 police officers were reported injured.