The Students’ Union has issued a warning regarding potential unrest at upcoming protests. Jakob Hornhues, chairman of the conservative student organization, told the newspaper “Stern” that he calls on both the federal government and the states to convene a joint security summit. He stated that leaving the events of the weekend to chance would be irresponsible.
Hornhues expressed the expectation that the ministries should coordinate in advance, referencing the situation in France as an example. While acknowledging that the organizers must also ensure order, he voiced skepticism about their capability, specifically targeting the group “Gen Z regelt.” He remarked that this group, consisting of 18- to 28-year-olds, is organizing the demonstrations in a spontaneous, rash manner.
He also warned of a potential infiltration of the protests. “The main rule is that we must not lose control anywhere in Germany,” he asserted. He identified the Antifa and left-autonomist scenes as sources of potential violence, distinguishing this from potential violence perpetrated by the protesting students themselves. However, he believes the far-left scene is deliberately trying to co-opt these protests, stressing that “tough regulations” are necessary.
Despite calls from the Young Union Berlin-Mitte to deploy the Bundeswehr (German armed forces), the Students’ Union leader rejected the idea. He called it “completely absurd” to use the armed forces against protests in any capacity, and he doubted whether the Young Union Berlin-Mitte proposal was serious. Having frequent visits to Berlin, he stated that he does not think the police lack security equipment during demonstrations. He noted that specialized units possess appropriate resources even when violence is used during protests.
