Germany and France brace for Halloween protests

Police in Germany and France are mobilizing for large street protests scheduled for Saturday, October 31. Authorities are preparing for a second wave of demonstrations following a first round of unrest in late October.

In Germany, a coalition known as Gen Z regelt has organized rallies in more than 30 cities. Participants will demand increased spending on schools, climate protection, and housing. The group also opposes plans to reintroduce mandatory military service. By Friday, over 160,000 people had registered to attend these events on the group's website.

Berlin police chief Barbara Slowik Meisel announced the deployment of an additional 1,500 officers in the capital. She stated that there was no concrete evidence of coordinated looting operations. Approximately 10,000 people are expected to gather at the Brandenburg Gate in the afternoon, with a smaller group meeting in the Mitte district in the evening. Other major cities, including Cologne, Munich, Frankfurt, and Hamburg, have similar rallies planned.

Political figures are watching the situation closely. Alexander Throm of the ruling Christian Democratic Union told the Handelsblatt newspaper that scenes like those in France must be prevented at all costs. Felix Banaszak, co-leader of the opposition Green party, warned against pre-emptive criminalization of the protests. He told the RND media group that such rhetoric might drive participants toward radicalization.

In France, Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez described Saturday as a high-risk day. The government will deploy 70,000 police and gendarmes, including elite units, to manage the crowds. Nuñez noted that radical groups have used social media to call for violent gatherings after the main demonstrations end. He said authorities would tolerate zero excesses and would use an extremely firm security response.

Measures to protect shops introduced after the previous protest wave will be reinforced. While peaceful demonstrations will be authorized, most will not take place in city centers where public disorder is more likely. In Paris, two separate marches through the city center have been banned. Police have authorized a single march in the far southeast, a decision both sets of organizers are challenging.

The interior ministry reported that 410,000 people marched in France on the previous Saturday. A strong police presence helped prevent a repeat of the looting and violence seen on October 17. Unions and the gilets jaunes movement have joined students in demanding better wages and services. A nationwide strike is currently called for November 5.