Shops were looted in central Frankfurt late on Saturday as violence followed largely peaceful demonstrations across Germany over living costs, public spending cuts and military service. Clashes also broke out in Berlin, Cologne and Hamburg.

Thousands had joined protests organised by Gen Z regelt, meaning Gen Z takes charge. Spokesperson Lina Friedrich said the movement wanted better-funded health and education systems, opposed compulsory military service and sought a fairer distribution of financial burdens. She presented its aims as peace and freedom rather than war and coercion.

Authorities in Frankfurt, Munich and Berlin reported up to 18,000 protesters, roughly half the organisers’ website estimate. Reports put turnout across German cities at tens of thousands.

In Frankfurt, police closed a large stretch of the main shopping street, deployed specialist units and made numerous arrests. Police said shop windows were smashed and Molotov cocktails thrown at emergency workers. Officers arrested a suspect and seized two weapons after a gun shop’s windows were broken. Other shops were reportedly raided for trainers and other goods.

Hesse’s interior minister, Roman Poseck, said around 100 people he identified as left-wing extremists had infiltrated the Frankfurt protest. He condemned the violence and warned against emulating scenes of looting, fires and attacks on police in France. His account distinguishes those accused of violence from the wider demonstration; the supplied reporting does not independently establish their affiliations.

Police said Frankfurt was calm by early Sunday. Across the affected cities, officers reported using water cannon against people targeting emergency workers with fireworks, stones and bottles.

In Cologne, police said officers near the main station faced bottles and a thrown bicycle. Police chief Johannes Hermanns blamed extremists for disrupting young people’s peaceful protest. Berlin police reported 27 officers injured and up to 56 people temporarily detained after a smaller evening demonstration. In Hamburg, black-clad participants set off fireworks and burnt barricades; 120 arrests were reported.

The unrest coincided with demonstrations elsewhere in Europe, though demands differed. More than 320,000 people joined France’s third consecutive weekend of largely peaceful protests over living costs and public services, particularly education. Thousands of officers were deployed, with tear gas used in some cities. Clashes in Toulouse, Lyon and Marseille led to more than 500 arrests. Interior minister Laurent Nuñez said a Molotov cocktail injured an officer; Paris police reported attacks by several hundred rioters.

Clashes also occurred in Rome and Turin. In Portugal, police cleared a new tent camp after thousands marched against a rental bill protesters fear could worsen a housing crisis; house prices have more than doubled in a decade. Recent youth-led protests have also reached Belgium, Ireland, Spain, Greece, Serbia and Albania.