After a protest day was announced for several German cities on 31 October, security authorities are preparing for a larger deployment. Hesse Interior Minister Roman Poseck of the CDU said a mobilisation is taking place for that date and is also being instrumentalised from the left of the political spectrum. He said police will be deployed in strength, will act consistently and will not tolerate any violence against people or property. Bild reported the preparations first.
According to the initiative Gen Z regelt, a demonstration is also planned in Nuremberg. It is due to begin at 14:00 on Saturday on the Hauptmarkt, and more than 1,000 people have indicated online that they want to attend. Berlin police spokesman Florian Nath said there are efforts to use the student-protest issue for other interests. He said police will not allow that and will look closely at whether gatherings are legitimate student protests or whether people only want to use the Halloween setting for their own aims.
The initiative Gen Z steht auf is calling for protests on 31 October in numerous German cities. According to the organisers, the issues include education, an affordable life and opposition to conscription. Co-initiator Akram Selo told dpa that the group clearly distances itself from every kind of violence and that the aim is a peaceful demonstration.
The Berlin branch of the police union GdP described the situation as a major demonstration deployment for which security authorities are preparing. GdP state chief Stephan Weh said they are working through possible scenarios because images from France cause serious concern and because Halloween night is a time when pyrotechnics are often used on the streets. Security circles said the French protests are being closely noticed in Germany and commented on favourably on social media, and that left-wing groups are trying to use them for their own mobilisation.
A federal government spokesman said on Monday that the government does not fear the partly violent protests spreading to Germany. Asked whether Berlin expects a pan-European mobilisation, he said the government does not share that concern. Over the weekend, nationwide protests in France against high living costs were accompanied by serious riots and looting. On Monday evening, curfews were imposed in several cities, including Paris.