European Protests Cool Down in France as Violence Flares in German Cities

French authorities expressed relief on Sunday after massive cost-of-living protests resulted in less violence than previous weekends. The calm came despite expectations of new demonstrations once schools reopen on Monday. In Germany, the mood was more volatile. National protests on Saturday ended with rioters attacking police and looting stores in several cities. Across Europe, hundreds of thousands of people joined marches that were mostly peaceful but sparked isolated bouts of unrest.

In Paris, the violence concentrated at the end of Saturday's march in the eastern part of the city. Rioters threw Molotov cocktails at police, leaving three officers injured and one car on fire. On the opposite side of the city, masked groups launched fireworks at agents near a viewpoint in front of the Eiffel Tower. Police made repeated charges, causing frightened tourists to flee the area.

French police noted that the damage was less severe than on October 17. On that date, a city hall building burned and more than 2,000 stores were looted during hours of chaos that authorities seemed unprepared to control. Violence also flared during protests on October 24. By Saturday night, police had detained 779 people. That number compares to 2,628 arrests on October 17 and 1,314 arrests the previous weekend. Police in Paris and Marseille reported attacks on a handful of shops, but the damage was not substantial.

A national police official told The Associated Press on Sunday that authorities had prepared for larger crowds of both peaceful protesters and rioters. Approximately 70,000 police officers were deployed across the country. The official spoke on condition of anonymity because police policy did not allow public identification. Police are bracing for further tensions as schools reopen on Monday. Student groups and unions have called for new national protests on Tuesday and Thursday.

In Germany, more than 100,000 people, mostly young adults, protested peacefully on Saturday. They demanded that the government spend more on education, housing, and environmental protection, and make daily life more affordable. In some cities, the protests turned violent at night. In Frankfurt, rioters attacked police in the city center and looted shops. More than 100 officers were injured, and 54 people, aged between 13 and 29, were arrested. It was unclear how many protesters were hurt.

Police reported that 17 stores suffered damage, and five were looted. After police cordoned off an area in the city center, the situation calmed in the early hours of Sunday. Boris Rhein, the governor of Hesse, where Frankfurt is located, said he was shocked by the violent excesses in Frankfurt, which would not go unpunished. He stated that anyone who behaves like the attackers in the center of Frankfurt places themselves outside of society.

Violence also broke out in Cologne on Saturday night, where police used water cannons to disperse the crowd. In Berlin, protesters attacked police with bottles and pyrotechnics. The organizers of Saturday's protests, a youth initiative called Generation Z Takes Over, published a statement on Instagram. They distanced themselves from any form of violence and violent acts by other groups or individuals who were not part of the protests.

German Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt accused violent left-wing groups and rioters from the immigrant community of hijacking the peaceful marches. Dobrindt told the newspaper Bild on Sunday that rioters and looters would be identified and held accountable. In Portugal, riot police forcibly removed protesters from a square in Lisbon during the night after demonstrations for more affordable housing. Thousands marched through the city during the day, and a few hundred camped in Rossio, a central square. Police intervened in the early hours of Sunday, removing tents and pushing people out, with some arrests made.

Portuguese protesters have been demonstrating for weeks, inspired by the Spanish movement, to denounce the rise in the cost of living, especially housing.