On Saturday night (October 31), the streets of major cities in France and Germany turned into battlegrounds as mass protests over the rising cost of living, education, and the state of public services were accompanied by serious disturbances. In Paris, police were attacked with Molotov cocktails; in Frankfurt, stores were looted; and in Hamburg, protesters erected barricades and set fires. In France alone, there were 511 arrests, and police officers were injured in both countries.
The protests took place on Halloween, with many participants in France appearing in disguise, wearing masks and costumes. Although the majority of the demonstrations proceeded peacefully, the situation changed in several cities once the organized marches ended and groups of hooded individuals clashed with security forces.
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READ ALSO: New wave of unrest in Paris; protesters ripped up sidewalks and threw pieces at police officers (VIDEO)
In France, this marked the third consecutive wave of mass protests, while in Germany, tens of thousands of young people responded to the call of the “Gen Z regelt,” which calls for more public investment, measures to combat inflation, and greater youth participation in decisions affecting their future.
France: 320,000 protesters according to police, nearly 500,000 according to organizers
In France, approximately 150 demonstrations took place, with 320,000 citizens participating according to the Ministry of the Interior, a decrease from the 410,000 recorded during the previous protest on October 24.
BREAKING: Far-left rioters are throwing fire bombs and shooting fireworks at police officers in Paris. The police officer below had to flee the police line after his parts of his armor was engulfed in flames https://t.co/WlCtCGcQaL
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) October 31, 2026
In Paris, police authorities estimated that approximately 70,000 people participated, compared to 110,000 the previous week.
The Inter-Union Youth Organization painted a different picture, reporting nearly half a million protesters nationwide, of whom about 200,000 were in the French capital.
Participants protested against rising costs, the deterioration of public services, problems in education and living conditions, while the demonstrations also raised concerns about police violence.
In the capital, the march route was designed to bypass the historic center, with protesters moving from Porta de Bagnoles to Porta de Sarandon, in the eastern and southeastern suburbs.
Most marches concluded without serious incident; however, late in the afternoon, clashes began to be reported in various parts of the country.
Molotov cocktails thrown at police in Paris; five injured
The most serious incidents in the French capital occurred in the Porte de Charenton area as the march was drawing to a close.
According to BFMTV, dozens of people with their faces covered and dressed in black began prying up paving stones from the sidewalks using hammers, then hurling the pieces at police officers.
— Análise Geopolítica (@AnaliseGeopol) October 31, 2026
Manifestantes franceses lançam coquetéis molotov e fogos de artifício contra a polícia, incendiando agentes de segurança durante as grandes manifestações em andamento em Paris e outras cidades francesas. https://t.co/SEtAsI6OnQ
This was followed by an attack with an incendiary device, while security forces responded with tear gas and batons. During the clashes, stun grenades and flash grenades were also used to disperse gathered groups.
The Paris Police Department referred to a “hard core of several hundred rioters,” who attacked police forces with objects and Molotov cocktails.
Un nouvel engin incendiaire a été utilisé contre les forces de l’ordre, à la fin de la manifestation à Paris https://t.co/ZnGp0lqP5t
— CLPRESS / Agence de presse (@CLPRESSFR) October 31, 2026
Five police officers were injured, three of them from attacks involving incendiary devices.
A video circulating on social media caused a particular stir; it shows a police officer being attacked with a Molotov cocktail, resulting in his leg being engulfed in flames.
— FLASH INFO Ile-de-France (@info_Paris_IDF) October 31, 2026
31-Octobre à #Paris : Des policiers ont été brûlés.
Un engin incendiaire a été lancé sur les forces de l’ordre dans le secteur de la porte de Charenton. (Franceinfo) #Manif31Octobre https://t.co/jU6a38nCxG
French Interior Minister Laurent Nounies described the incident as an “attempted murder,” condemning the level of violence faced by police forces.
Nunes: “Extremely violent attacks,” 511 arrests
The French Interior Minister stated that the police were confronted by particularly violent groups, despite the fact that the organized marches generally proceeded peacefully.
“We saw extremely violent attacks by groups of several hundred people,” he said, attributing a significant portion of the incidents to groups on the radical and extremist Left.
He had already warned in the days leading up to the event that Saturday would be a day of particularly high risk, due to the overlap between the protests and Halloween celebrations.
To deal with potential incidents, French authorities had deployed 70,000 police officers and gendarmes, including elite units.
According to the Ministry of the Interior, approximately 40,000 checks were carried out, while arrests had reached 511 as of the latest evening update.
Earlier, Nunes had reported 422 arrests, warning that the number was expected to rise overnight.
By comparison, a total of 1,314 arrests were made during the protests on October 24, while on October 17 the total had reached 2,628.
In a post on platform X, the French minister argued that the enhanced and flexible security measures allowed the demonstrations to take place, deterring those who attempted to disrupt them.
He thanked the police and emergency services that were mobilized and expressed particular solidarity with those injured in the Molotov cocktail attacks.
At the same time, he assured that security forces would remain on alert in all regions of the country for as long as necessary.
La journée d’aujourd’hui était une journée à haut risque. Le dispositif élaboré, robuste et agile, a permis aux manifestations déclarées de se tenir, en garantissant la liberté de s’exprimer et en entravant les actions de ceux qui ont cherché à faire dégénérer les cortèges. Je remercie l’ensemble des forces de sécurité intérieure et de secours mobilisées aujourd’hui, qui ont dû essuyer des actes violents très graves que tous doivent condamner. J’ai une pensée appuyée pour les militaires de la gendarmerie blessés par un cocktail molotov. Attentifs et vigilants, les préfets et les forces de l’ordre restent mobilisés le temps nécessaire pour que l’ordre public soit préservé, dans le cadre des dispositifs de contrôle et de sécurité mis en place pour la nuit à venir. La République tient parce qu’ils sont là. @Interieur_Gouv @PoliceNationale @Gendarmerie @prefpolice
— Laurent Nuñez (@NunezLaurent) October 31, 2026
Clashes and attempted looting in Marseille, Lyon, and other cities
Serious disturbances were also reported outside Paris, with the Ministry of the Interior reporting that groups of people attempted to enter the centers of major cities after the marches ended, with the aim of causing destruction and looting.
Similar incidents were reported in Bordeaux, Toulouse, Rennes, Lille, Nantes, Marseille, and Lyon.
In Marseille, five people were arrested while attempting to break into the storage areas of a Foot Locker shoe store, according to police in the Bouches-du-Rhône department.
These attempted looting incidents are of particular concern to authorities, as previous protests had resulted in vandalism and attacks on hundreds of retail stores.
In Marseille, police used tear gas and stun grenades to disperse the crowd, while clashes also broke out in Lyon and Grenoble.
À Marseille, des projectiles lancés sur des véhicules de police, en fin de manifestation https://t.co/Ey48aaM3wt
— CLPRESS / Agence de presse (@CLPRESSFR) October 31, 2026
In Toulouse, water cannons were used to disperse an unauthorized gathering consisting mainly of young people, some of whom were in Halloween costumes.
In various cities, protesters appeared in witch costumes, masks, and carrying large pumpkins, giving the demonstrations an unusual appearance.
Des dizaines de personnes rassemblées pour Halloween au pied de la Tour Eiffel reprennent la danse du tube « Thriller » de Michael Jackson https://t.co/SXdfj2Y67B
— CLPRESS / Agence de presse (@CLPRESSFR) October 31, 2026
French authorities warned that Halloween night events could further complicate the police’s work, as many citizens remained on the streets wearing costumes.
This third day of protests does not mark the end of the protests, as high school and college student organizations have issued new calls for blockades of educational institutions and rallies later this week.
Germany: Gen Z Takes to the Streets in 34 Cities for Accuracy and Their Future
On the same day, mass demonstrations also took place in Germany, organized by the group “Gen Z regelt,” which roughly translates to “Gen Z is taking charge to set things right.”
The protests were organized in 34 cities, including Berlin, Frankfurt, Hamburg, Bremen, Hanover, Göttingen, Cologne, and Munich.
According to the organizers, approximately 120,000 people participated in the demonstrations overall, a number lower than initial estimates of more than 160,000 participants.
The main demands focused on increased funding for education, health care, and social protection, measures to combat rising prices, access to affordable housing, and climate protection.
A significant number of participants also expressed their opposition to mandatory military service, while slogans against Chancellor Friedrich Merz were heard.
Although most rallies proceeded peacefully, in some cities clashes broke out after the organized marches had ended.
Frankfurt: Hooded protesters looted stores and threw stones and fireworks
In the center of Frankfurt, Germany’s financial capital, widespread clashes broke out after the demonstration ended; according to local reports, was attended by approximately 8,000 people.
BREAKING: Riots have now broken out in Hamburg. Far-left extremists carrying Palestinian flags are building barricades and setting fires. https://t.co/FsNp8m2Lu0
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) October 31, 2026
The march had proceeded largely peacefully, but tensions flared when a group of about 100 masked individuals headed toward the central shopping street Zeil.
The perpetrators began smashing store windows, even using license plates, and looting ensued.
According to a Reuters eyewitness, at least two stores were looted, while more businesses sustained damage.
BREAKING: The looting of stores has started in Frankfurt, Germany. Young first and second-generation migrants are attacking stores in the city. https://t.co/4ufyip4Ndn
— Visegrád 24 (@visegrad24) October 31, 2026
Reports from German authorities also mention the looting of a gun shop. Police seized two firearms during their intervention.
Police officers were attacked with rocks, broken bottles, and fireworks, and the march had to be temporarily halted due to the use of fireworks.
Security forces used water cannons to disperse the groups causing disturbances, though they were not immediately able to restore order.
Dozens of people were taken into custody, and at least five were arrested at the scene of the looting.
Hamburg: Burning barricades and the slogan “We hate this state and the police”
Serious clashes also broke out in Hamburg following the conclusion of the “Gen Z regelt” rally, in which approximately 6,700 people participated, according to police.
The rally began at 2:00 p.m. on Jungfernstieg, and shortly before 3:00 p.m., the protesters began their march, passing through Steintorplatz and ending in the Lohmühlenpark area.
The organizing committee estimated attendance at 6,000 to 7,000 people, a figure close to the police estimate.
During the march, chants were heard opposing mandatory military service and the Merz government, while several participants held banners calling for increased public spending and social justice.
Among the slogans were “Against mandatory military service—Generation Z decides!” and “Long live international solidarity.”
However, around 5:00 p.m., when a truck equipped with a loudspeaker announced the end of the demonstration, the situation changed.
Near the central bus station and on Steindamm Street, groups of hooded individuals began carrying objects onto the street, erecting makeshift barricades, which they then set on fire.
Others tore down metal protective railings from construction sites, caused damage to a construction site, and hurled rocks, bottles, pieces of pavement, and fireworks at police officers.
Most of those involved in the clashes were wearing black clothing and had their faces covered.
According to reports from the scene, a vehicle equipped with a loudspeaker was broadcasting calls to continue the protest and resist the police.
“We are against the system; we hate this state and the police,” was one of the slogans heard during the clashes.
The police formed human chains to separate those causing disturbances from the peaceful protesters, though the operation proved particularly difficult.
Police officers used water cannons to extinguish the fires at the roadblocks and, in some cases, pepper spray to disperse groups attacking security forces.
Berlin: 27 injured police officers and approximately 60 arrests
Clashes were also reported in the German capital, where police were called upon to deal with both tensions on the fringes of the demonstrations and incidents linked to Halloween celebrations.
According to Berlin police, trash cans and electric scooters were dragged into the middle of the streets and set on fire, while buses were targeted with fireworks.
In another incident, unknown individuals spray-painted slogans on a police vehicle.
The rally at the Brandenburg Gate ended with almost no incidents, but the situation was different at a demonstration in the Rosenthaler Platz area, where attacks and property damage were reported.
The police report mentioned 27 officers who sustained minor injuries, though they were all able to remain on duty.
At the same time, approximately 60 arrests were made for offenses including property damage and assaults.
What “Gen Z regelt” is calling for and why young people took to the streets
The “Gen Z regelt” initiative presents itself as a youth movement demanding meaningful participation in political decision-making and greater protection from economic and social pressures.
At the heart of its demands are public investments in education, social security, health, mental health, climate protection, and addressing the rising cost of living.
One of the banners held by protesters in Hamburg read:
“We demand policies that invest in education, social security, healthcare, and an affordable standard of living, rather than making cuts at the expense of the younger generation. We want a say in decisions about our future.”
The initiative also expresses its opposition to mandatory military service, an issue that has been a key slogan of the German protests.
The organizers state that they are seeking to hold peaceful protests. However, German security agencies had warned ahead of the rallies that extremist groups might attempt to exploit the protests to provoke incidents.
Similar concerns had been expressed by student organizations, some of which refrained from officially supporting the demonstrations, citing questions regarding the initiative’s composition and representation.
Despite the different circumstances and distinct demands in France and Germany, Saturday’s protests highlighted intense dissatisfaction with the cost of living, the state of public services, and the economic prospects of the younger generation.
At the same time, the clashes that erupted following the largely peaceful marches once again brought to the forefront the issue of maintaining public order and protecting the right to protest.
Source: Proto Thema
