FRANKFURT, Nov 1 (Reuters) – German ministers threatened tough penalties for looters and rioters who damaged stores and injured more than 100 police officers in Frankfurt overnight, still praising public forces for preventing larger-scale violence.
Frankfurt late on Saturday became the hot spot for violent protests after tens of thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of dozens of German cities during the day to demand better education and lower living costs in protests led by the campaign group “Gen Z regelt” — “Gen Z takes charge”.
In the financial hub Frankfurt, hooded rioters damaged 17 shops and stores, of which five were looted, Roman Poseck, interior minister of the state of Hesse, told a press conference on Sunday.
He said police deployed 1,300 officers, with more than 100 injured in clashes. Police arrested 54 people aged between 13 and 29.
“I am shocked by what I have seen, and there is no point in sugar-coating it. Let me make this very clear: Things cannot go on like this,” Poseck said.
Poseck said most of those arrested were German nationals, adding that many of those involved in the disturbances were of a migrant background, citing information from the police.
“Police currently estimate that they are dealing with between 1,000 and 1,500 violent troublemakers, predominantly from a migrant background,” he added.
Frankfurt police reported violent disturbances including windows being smashed and petrol bombs being thrown at the emergency services.
German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt was quoted as telling the Bild tabloid on Sunday, “The rioters and looters will be identified and held accountable.”
“This breach of the peace must be followed by tough penalties.”
He accused “violent left-wing groups and troublemakers from the migrant community” of hijacking the otherwise peaceful protests, without elaborating.
Dobrindt said the police strategy of maintaining a large presence while deploying officers across multiple locations had worked.
“Excesses of violence like those in Paris were prevented thanks to our highly committed police forces,” Dobrindt, a member of the conservative Christian Social Union, said.
In France, protests continued largely peacefully for a third weekend after extensive riots and looting on October 17 damaged shops, public buildings and businesses.
(Reporting by Christoph Steitz and Tilman Blasshofer; Editing by Alison Williams and Hugh Lawson)
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