European Youth Unrest Spreads as Police Braces for New Wave of Protests

French police expect a fresh round of demonstrations in Paris starting Monday, after high schools at the center of the current unrest reopen following an autumn break. The forecast comes as authorities assessed the previous weekend’s protests, noting that while violence remained present, it was less severe than in prior weeks.

In Paris, rioters threw Molotov cocktails at police officers on the eastern edge of the city on Saturday, injuring three officers and igniting a car, according to police reports. In another part of the city, masked groups launched fireworks at officers near a viewpoint opposite the Eiffel Tower. Police charged multiple times, forcing tourists to flee the area in panic.

The level of destruction was lower than in the protests of October 17, during which a city hall was set on fire and more than 2,000 stores were looted. Authorities also reported fewer arrests than in that previous incident. As of Saturday night, police had detained 779 people, compared with 2,628 arrests on October 17 and 1,314 on the following weekend.

Police in Paris and Marseille stated that only a small number of shops were targeted and that no major structural damage was reported. A national police official told The Associated Press on Sunday that authorities prepared for a large turnout of both peaceful marchers and agitators. Approximately 70,000 police officers were deployed across the country for the weekend events.

The official, who spoke on condition of anonymity in accordance with police policy, said student groups and labor unions are calling for new nationwide protests on Tuesday and Thursday. These upcoming demonstrations could test the stability regained over the weekend.

Germany experienced its own wave of unrest after nationwide protests on Saturday. More than 100,000 people, mostly young, marched peacefully in cities across the country. They demanded increased government investment in education, housing, and climate protection, as well as measures to make daily life more affordable.

Violence erupted in several German cities during the evening. In Frankfurt, rioters attacked police in the downtown area and looted stores. Police cordoned off a section of the city center, and the situation stabilized by early Sunday morning. Thirty people were detained in Frankfurt, and several protesters and officers were injured.

Boris Rhein, the governor of the Hesse region, expressed shock at the violence in Frankfurt. He stated that the violent excesses would not go unpunished and that those acting like the attackers in the city center were placing themselves outside of society.

Similar clashes occurred in Cologne, where police used water cannons to disperse crowds, and in Berlin, where protesters threw bottles and pyrotechnics at officers. The youth initiative known as Gen Z regelt, which organized the Saturday protests, posted a statement on Instagram distancing the group from any form of violence committed by individuals or other groups not part of the demonstrations.

German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt accused violent left-wing groups and troublemakers from the immigrant community of hijacking the peaceful demonstrations. He told the daily paper Bild on Sunday that the rioters and looters would be identified and held accountable.

The movement has also influenced protests in Portugal. In Lisbon, riot police forcibly removed protesters from Rossio Square early Sunday. Thousands had marched through the city during the day, and several hundred camped in the square overnight. Police removed tents and pushed people away, detaining a few individuals.

Portuguese demonstrators have been protesting for several weeks, inspired by similar movements in Spain that highlight rising living costs, particularly in the housing sector.