Rioters have been seen looting stores in Germany as violent unrest in Europe continues to sweep through the continent.
The protests, organised by campaign group “Gen Z regelt” – “Gen Z takes charge” in German – turned violent late on Saturday, with images showing rioters – some costumed for Halloween – smashing open storefronts to steal sneakers and weapons in Frankfurt.
German authorities said emergency workers had been attacked with bottles, stones, and even Molotov cocktails.
The violent scenes broke out as the youth protesters protested against the cost of living, mandatory military service, and the underfunded education system.
Germany’s riots are the latest in a wave of youth demonstrations which have spread throughout Europe.
Protests for increased education funding in Paris soon turned violent, while Serbia’s student movement harnessed unrest to win a parliamentary election.
Frankfurt police estimated that around 8,000 protesters were demonstrating at the event’s peak.
Authorities used a water cannon to disperse demonstrators as scenes turned violent.
Interior Minister for the State of Hesse, Roman Poseck, said several police officers had been injured, and one may have sustained “more serious injuries”.
He added: “We estimate there were around 100 left-wing extremist perpetrators.
“They launched a massive attack on the police, throwing bottles, stones and setting off fireworks.”
Gen Z regelt spokeswoman Lina Friedrich said the demonstration was for “peace and freedom, rather than for war and coercion”.
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She 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 favour of a fairer distribution of the burden.”
Some businesses in Germany had boarded up windows and planned early closures amid fears of violent demonstrations.
Mr Poseck said the protest’s violent turn was “shameful”.
He added: “We all have those images from France in our minds – looting, burning houses, burning police vehicles, and attacks on police officers… France must not be held up as a model in this regard.”
Sean Baker, a student at the Technical University of Berlin, told Reuters he would join protests to highlight the poor educational system.
He said: “When you go inside and enter the rooms, it looks like an abandoned building.
“Yet this is where we’re expected to study on a regular basis.”
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