German rioters loot shops as ‘Gen Z’ protests turn ugly

A gun store was among the shops looted, with its windows smashed. Police said they arrested a suspect and seized two weapons.

A trainer shop and a perfume store were also targeted, the Bild daily reported.

A large section of Frankfurt’s main shopping street was closed off as authorities sought to quell the unrest, with police vans and riot police stopping anyone from entering, according to an AFP journalist.

A police helicopter hovered overhead as sporadic blasts were heard on the street.

At least one police officer was injured there and was receiving medical treatment.

SHAMEFUL

Roman Poseck, interior minister of Hesse state, said that “around 100 clearly identified left-wing extremists” had infiltrated the protest in Frankfurt.

“It is shameful how this event here in Frankfurt has ended.”

Police also used water cannon in the cities of Hamburg and Cologne after they said demonstrators targeted emergency service workers with fireworks, stones and bottles.

In Berlin, a protest that was not organised by the “GenZ regelt!” movement took place in the evening, with police reporting they were pelted with eggs and bottles.

Police in the eastern city of Leipzig also used pepper spray after protests turned violent while a police officer in Bonn suffered minor injuries during a confrontation with a group.

Police were reported to have made several arrests.