Germany and France brace for protests on Halloween weekend

What the report says

Germany and France are preparing for possible protests over the Halloween weekend, as a broader wave of youth-led demonstrations continues across Europe over living costs, school conditions and limited opportunities for young people, according to Al Jazeera. In Germany, about 150,000 people had registered to protest in roughly 30 cities, including Berlin, Frankfurt and Cologne. Police planned to deploy additional officers, while some luxury retailers boarded up storefronts amid concerns about possible vandalism or looting.

Al Jazeera said the German protests are being organized by a group called “GenZ regelt!”, which says it represents younger people frustrated by inflation, underfunded schools, public spending cuts and political decisions they believe ignore their generation. The article places these demonstrations in the context of similar unrest seen in other parts of Europe in recent weeks.

In France, authorities were also bracing for renewed unrest after several weekends of disorder linked to protests over the cost of living and school conditions. Police were preparing to deploy 70,000 officers nationwide, and more than 40 metro stations in Paris were expected to close. Officials also said face coverings would not be permitted at demonstrations. Business leaders warned that the timing of Halloween could complicate policing, with some shopkeepers expecting a tense weekend.