Germany has become the latest country in Europe to witness scenes of urban unrest after cost-of-living protests on Saturday turned violent.
Largely peaceful demonstrations organized by a group called Gen Z regelt, meaning "Gen Z takes charge", took place in cities including Hamburg, Cologne, Berlin and the country's financial center, Frankfurt, focusing on issues such as public spending cuts and underfunding in schools, the same issue that was the starting point for major disturbances in France in recent weeks.
A large area of Frankfurt's main shopping district was closed off overnight by police after premises were looted, and across the country there were reports of water cannons being used to disperse people who were pelting emergency workers with missiles.
Roman Poseck, the interior minister of Hesse state, where Frankfurt is situated, said it was "shameful" how the protests had ended, and that "around 100 clearly identified left-wing extremists" had infiltrated them.
"We all have those images from France in our minds — looting, burning houses, burning police vehicles, and attacks on police officers," he said. "France must not be held up as a model in this regard."
Germany's Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt told newspaper Bild that the actions of police had prevented "violence like that seen in Paris", and vowed that troublemakers would receive "harsh punishments".
Gen Z regelt spokesperson Lina Friedrich said "What matters most to us is better support for the health and education systems … we are against compulsory military service and we are in favor of a fairer distribution of the burden."
France also saw more widespread protests on Saturday, with organizers estimating half a million people turned out, and the authorities saying around 320,000, but compared to the destruction witnessed in recent weeks, the latest demonstrations were largely peaceful.
Police had come in for heavy criticism for losing control of previous protests, which degenerated into violence and looting, and prompted French Interior Minister Laurent Nunez to tender his resignation, which was rejected.
"Security forces held their ground and protected city centers," he said on Saturday night. "Public order was maintained."
The tension in France has an added political dimension, as the country begins its build-up to the presidential election taking place in six months' time.
This week, incumbent President Emmanuel Macron, who by law is not allowed to seek a third consecutive term of office, said it was "not normal" for the country to be in such a state of "turmoil" with an election on the horizon.
The current wave of protests emerged from teachers going on strike over school funding, with students coming out in support, and Le Monde newspaper quoted student union spokeswoman Sabrine Kharbach as saying "Starting this Tuesday, we will blockade our universities and high schools, and we will do so again on Thursday before joining the demonstration on Nov 5 called by workers and trade unions".
