According to Dirk Wiese, the SPD parliamentary director, the scenes of violence that followed the youth protests on Saturday should not overshadow the concerns of the demonstrators. Speaking to the “Rheinische Post,” he emphasized that anxieties regarding their own future must be taken seriously, stating that politicians must act, especially concerning the lack of equal educational and opportunity access.
Wiese added that the “promise of advancement” enjoyed during the 1970s needs to be brought back. He pointed out that the majority of young people took to the streets peacefully. While any protest that turns into violence must be clearly condemned and warrants a decisive response, he stressed that this cannot be used to obscure the overall concerns of the younger generation who protested peacefully.
