Europe was rocked by a night of unrest after Halloween protests in several cities escalated into clashes, arson and looting.
In Germany, rioters raided shops and allegedly took firearms, while French authorities opened an attempted-murder investigation after a police officer was set alight by a Molotov cocktail.
Unrest also reached Portugal, where demonstrators in Lisbon confronted police during the early hours.
In Frankfurt, a large part of the city’s shopping district was sealed off after what officials described as violent riots. Police said numerous arrests were made overnight after specialist units were deployed.
Officers used water cannon to break up crowds who threw stones, bottles and fireworks at emergency personnel.
Roman Poseck, Hesse’s interior minister, said about 100 “clearly identified left-wing extremists” had disrupted peaceful demonstrations earlier in the day.
Windows were smashed at several businesses in the financial district, including a gun shop and a trainer retailer. Police later arrested a suspect and seized two weapons.
In Berlin, police said they were dealing with “the unpleasant side effects of Halloween” after rubbish bins and e-scooters were set ablaze during clashes in the capital.
A person wearing a Batman costume stands before a burning rubbish bin in central Frankfurt
Police detain a demonstrator dressed as Batman during a nationwide protest organised by Gen Z regelt
People attempt to smash the window of a gun shop during a Gen Z regelt protest in Frankfurt
Demonstrators wearing Halloween masks attend a Gen Z Takes Care of It protest in Frankfurt
A bus was struck by a pyrotechnic device and a police van was covered in graffiti during the disorder. Around 60 people were arrested as protesters occupied tram tracks, blocked roads and continued marching into the evening.
A separate demonstration at the Brandenburg Gate passed “almost without incident” earlier in the day. But a later gathering at Rosenthaler Platz ended with 27 officers suffering slight injuries during clashes.
In Cologne, officers were attacked near the main railway station, where protesters threw a bicycle and bottles at police.
German broadcaster RTL reported that groups dressed in dark clothing had kicked walls, shouted at officers and thrown pyrotechnics.
In Bremen, police said a march that had started peacefully became disorderly after some participants set off fireworks and insulted officers. Demonstrations were also held in Munich, while an officer in Bonn sustained minor injuries.
Youth protest group Gen-Z Regelt!, whose name means “Gen-Z has got this”, had called demonstrations in 34 German cities on Saturday. About 120,000 people reportedly took part nationwide.
The group has publicly rejected violence in Germany, stating online: “Extremist groups, anti-constitutional symbols, racism and hate speech have no place with us – no matter from which side.”
Separate marches nevertheless caused widespread disruption, prompting police to say they had intervened “very decisively and also forcefully” to prevent further damage.
A man in a Batman costume stands near police during unrest in central Frankfurt
A person removes a weapon through the broken window of a Frankfurt shop after a nationwide protest
A person wearing a clown mask uses a traffic sign to break a shop window in Frankfurt
Police officers run past a rubbish bin set alight by protesters in central Frankfurt
Johannes Hermanns, Cologne’s police chief, said it was “deeply saddening” that a peaceful youth movement had been infiltrated by extremists intent on violence.
Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt told the Bild tabloid on Sunday that rioters and looters would be identified and held responsible. “This breach of the peace must be followed by tough penalties,” he said.
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He accused violent left-wing groups and troublemakers from the migrant community of hijacking otherwise peaceful protests, but did not provide further details.
More than 30 people were placed in temporary custody in Frankfurt, local broadcaster HR reported, without giving further information about those detained.
Dobrindt said the police operation had succeeded because officers maintained a large presence while spreading units across several locations.
“Excesses of violence like those in Paris were prevented thanks to our highly committed police forces,” said Dobrindt, a member of the conservative CSU.
After several weeks of demonstrations in France, Saturday’s protests were largely peaceful. That followed extensive rioting and looting on October 17, which damaged shops, public buildings and businesses.
However, French authorities opened an attempted-murder investigation after a police officer was engulfed in flames when a Molotov cocktail struck him during clashes overnight.
Flames rise around riot police after a Molotov cocktail is thrown in Paris
A partially burning French gendarme runs along a street while facing protesters at the end of a Yellow Vest march over living costs and inequality
Riot police advance on demonstrators during a housing-rights rally in Lisbon
Housing-rights protests continue in Porto three weeks after beginning, with demonstrators demanding the withdrawal of a new rent law and an end to evictions without alternative accommodation
Police take cover behind a vehicle during a Molotov cocktail fire at an anti-government protest in central Tirana on October 31, 2026
Protesters stand beside burning rubbish bins during an anti-government demonstration in central Tirana, Albania
France’s interior minister, Laurent Nuñez, said about 150 demonstrations had passed peacefully on Saturday, although officers faced an “extraordinary” level of violence from some rioters.
Calling the attack on the Paris officer an attempted murder, Nuñez warned that the night’s unrest had not yet ended.
“We are fully prepared for those looking for confrontation,” he said.
In Lisbon, police clashed with demonstrators at about 4.30am after protesters established a camp of more than 50 tents in Rossio Square. Officers detained some of those present as they moved to clear the area.
Earlier, thousands had marched through the city to demand that Portugal’s centre-right government withdraw a controversial rental bill, which critics say would worsen the country’s housing crisis.
Police commander Luri Rodrigues had repeatedly warned those occupying the camp that they could face disobedience charges if the illegally erected tents were not removed.
The unrest comes after weeks of student demonstrations across Europe. More than 320,000 protesters are reportedly said to have joined marches in France as a movement initially focused on education funding broadened.
In Albania, anger over rising living costs and underfunded education has merged with calls for Prime Minister Edi Rama to resign. Demonstrations have become increasingly violent, with protesters throwing paving stones, flares and petrol bombs at police.
The education protests have consequently become part of a wider campaign demanding Rama’s resignation, with repeated demonstrations ending in clashes.
Meanwhile, French police arrested five people accused of trying to loot a Foot Locker store in Marseille.
Authorities in the Bouches-du-Rhone prefecture said the suspects were caught attempting to enter the shop’s storerooms.
The unrest in France began with high school students demanding the equivalent of about £9 billion for education before expanding to include groups ranging from trade unions to Black Bloc anarchists.
Demonstrations have also spread to Italy, Portugal, Poland and other European countries.
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