In response to violent riots and looting that occurred following the student protests on Saturday, Federal Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt (CSU) is demanding a tough stance against the perpetrators. Speaking to the “Bild”, the CSU politician claimed that peaceful demonstrations were hijacked by “aggressive left-wing groups and hooligans from the migrant milieu.” Dobrindt stated that those involved in the disorder and looting had been identified and would be brought to justice, insisting, “Severe penalties must follow this breach of public peace.” The Interior Minister generally praised the police deployment strategy, asserting that “excessive violence, similar to what happened in Paris, was prevented thanks to our highly dedicated police forces.” He noted that the police strategy, which featured massive presence and decentralized force deployment, was successful.
Meanwhile, fellow members of the Union parliamentary group also called for serious consequences. Günter Krings (CDU), Deputy Chairman of the Union parliamentary group, told the “Rheinische Post” that “supporters of Hamas and plundering have no place on our streets.” Therefore, he expects the rule of law to show “consequence and an unequivocal response to such extremists.”
Krings further commented that the students and young people had voiced legitimate concerns, emphasizing that every citizen in Germany has the right to peaceful assembly. However, he cautioned that security authorities must closely monitor whether these gatherings are being usurped by the far-left spectrum. According to the party expert, this is a “common strategy of far-left extremists,” a trend they have observed since the very first day of these protests.
On Saturday afternoon, tens of thousands of people gathered nationwide in support of the “Gen Z regelt” initiative, primarily maintaining a peaceful demonstration. However, the situation escalated into violence in several cities by evening. Frankfurt am Main saw particular escalation, where multiple shops, including a weapons store, were looted. Barricades also burned in Hamburg and Cologne, while several police officers were injured in Berlin. To control the situation, the police employed tactics such as water cannons in several locations.
