Following the “Gen Z” protests in Frankfurt, police sources have reported that over 100 officers were injured during the resulting riots. The state interior ministry announced on Sunday that severe violent outbreaks and attacks against the police occurred during and after the Saturday gathering.
Hessian Interior Minister Roman Poseck (CDU) described the incident as an explosion of violence stemming from “an enormous potential for violence shown by left-wing extremists and violent young people, mostly of migrant background.” He stated that authorities had warned about these dangers beforehand, leading to a massive police deployment involving over 1,000 officers, water cannons, SEK units, helicopters, and tear gas.
Poseck continued, noting that officers were attacked “very significantly” over several hours. He called the over 100 injured officers a “shocking result,” providing the example of one officer who lost his teeth after being struck in the face by a thrown stone. Control over the situation was reportedly only restored by the police after midnight.
In light of the events, the minister pledged a much tougher approach against criminals. He announced that no comparable assembly would be permitted in Frankfurt on November 20th, clarifying that the initial escalation started from the protest itself. Poseck promised that future demonstrations would be met with an “even stronger deployment,” with police proceeding “robustly” from the beginning, ensuring that city centers are not “left to the violent mob.”
The CDU politician also vowed to explicitly target the perpetrators, whom he identified as largely from migrant communities, and intensify efforts against left-wing extremism, stating there should be no false taboos.
Current figures regarding the unrest indicate that 366 individuals were controlled, 54 people were arrested, and 1,225 were issued formal bans from the city. Furthermore, 17 businesses were damaged, though the police managed to largely prevent looting.
