Gen-Z March in Berlin's Prenzlauer Berg Turns Violent, 56 Arrested

After a largely peaceful daytime rally at the Brandenburg Gate, a separate march called "GenZ hat genug!" got underway at Rosenthaler Platz at 17:30 on Saturday, 31 October. The "Gen Z regelt" initiative had distanced itself from this evening event in advance. Around 3,500 people took part in the Prenzlauer Berg procession, according to police, who identified a low triple-digit number of troublemakers in the crowd. As demonstrators moved along Prenzlauer Allee, some blocked a tram, overturned rubbish bins, and hurled firecrackers and bottles at officers. Scuffles broke out and a number of people were taken into custody. Near the Zeiss Planetarium, the organiser declared the demonstration over, but many in the crowd ignored police loudspeaker calls to disperse toward Prenzlauer Allee S-Bahn station in small groups. Police kettled several sections of the crowd, and a spokesperson described the atmosphere as "tense." Shortly after midnight, officers confirmed a total of 56 arrests for the night. The Berlin clashes were part of wider unrest across Germany: in Cologne and Hamburg, protesters threw pyrotechnics at officers, barricades were set on fire, and police deployed water cannons.