Dobrindt and Pistorius Split Over Violence After Gen Z Protests
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Two federal ministers disagree over who was behind the riots that followed youth protests in several German cities on the evening of Saturday 31 October.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt of the CSU said on Sunday 1 November that peaceful demonstrations in the afternoon had been taken over in the evening by violent left wing groups and what he called troublemakers from the migrant milieu. He described the riots as a breach of the peace, said the offenders would be identified and held to account, and said he expected tough punishments. He praised the police operation and said the same approach would be used for the next youth strike day, planned for Friday 20 November.
Defence Minister Boris Pistorius of the SPD distanced himself from this description in a television interview. He asked whether migrant groups meant people in their third generation in Germany who are German citizens, and said such labels lead "in the wrong direction". He agreed that the attackers were extremists and criminals who attacked police officers, and said whoever was responsible must be punished. The Left Party accused Dobrindt of feeding racist resentment.
The worst violence happened in Frankfurt am Main, where rioters threw firebombs at officers and smashed shop windows. More than 100 police officers were injured and many people were detained. There were also violent scenes in Berlin, Hamburg and Cologne. The Gen Z regelt initiative, which organised peaceful protests in more than 30 cities, has distanced itself from all violence.
What this means for you: peaceful protest is legal in Germany for everyone, whatever their nationality. If you take part in a demonstration, leave when the official rally ends and stay away from any unrest. If you are not a German citizen, a criminal conviction can affect your residence permit.
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