Police Deploy Across Europe for Youth Protests

Police forces deployed 70,000 officers across France on Saturday as youth-led demonstrations over living costs and public services spread to Germany and other European nations.

Authorities restricted marches to the outer edges of Paris and banned downtown gatherings after earlier riots led to extensive looting, property damage, and more than 1,300 arrests.

In Germany, about 150,000 people registered to join demonstrations across 30 cities organised by a group called Gen Z regelt, demanding increased spending on schools and housing.

French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez warned that the demonstrations coincided with Halloween and carried a very high risk of public disorder.

The protests stemmed from widespread anger over inflation, deteriorating public services, and government spending cuts that disproportionately affect younger generations.

Organizers in Germany emphasized that their demonstrations would remain peaceful while calling for greater political inclusion.

“We are young people who no longer want to sit back and watch while decisions are made about our future without us being heard,” said a statement from the group.

German police deployed thousands of officers while luxury stores in Berlin boarded up windows as a precaution against potential unrest.

Berlin police chief Barbara Slowik Meisel said officers had no concrete evidence of coordinated looting operations being planned in the capital.

German politicians disagreed on how to approach the youth movement, with some warning against criminalizing demonstrators while others expressed concern over radical elements.

French President Emmanuel Macron described the national turmoil as abnormal with presidential elections only six months away.

Merchants and business leaders expressed anxiety over the continued disruption to commerce as law enforcement maintained strict curfews in central zones.

Authorities face mounting pressure to balance public safety with the right to protest as unrest continues to affect major European urban centers.