German youth group calls nationwide Halloween protest as authorities watch for unrest
In short
A youth movement called 'Z세대가 일어선다' (Gen Z Rises Up) has called protests across Germany on 31 October, Halloween, with slogans that point to the young people in France. The organiser says the group rejects violence, but German authorities are on alert because of past Halloween violence and posts online that hint at it.
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A movement calling itself 'Z세대가 일어선다' (Gen Z Rises Up) has announced large protests across Germany for 31 October, Halloween. Yonhap and Hankook Ilbo, citing the daily Tagesspiegel on 21 October, reported that social media posts are urging people to join, with slogans such as 'strike like the young people in France' and 'it is time to resist'. [ 1 , 2 ]
Organiser Akram Zelo (아크람 젤로) told the dpa news agency: 'We clearly distance ourselves from any form of violence.' Yonhap and Hankook Ilbo say other posts online hint at violence, such as 'the French go first and we follow'. Electronic Times reported that the group's announcement image shows angry eyes and a crowd rushing at police shields, but that the organisers made clear they oppose violent action. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Yonhap and Hankook Ilbo list the group's themes as education, living costs, youth unemployment and opposition to conscription. Electronic Times lists climate measures, lower prices and opposition to compulsory service. The group's website says more than 10,000 people in 21 German cities have said they will take part, but Electronic Times says the real size is hard to gauge. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Authorities are tense, the Korean outlets report, because student protests against conscription are now held regularly and the planned date is Halloween, when violence occurs every year. On Halloween night last year, young people set barricades on fire and shot fireworks at police, and 132 people were arrested in Berlin alone. Electronic Times adds that the wider use of fireworks on Halloween increases the concern. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
Authorities suspect left-wing extremists of inciting the student protests, Yonhap and Hankook Ilbo report. They cite the conservative daily Die Welt, which reported that activists from left-wing groups such as the SDAJ have joined the protests in the name of 'protecting students'. Berlin police spokesman Florian Nath (플로리안 나트) said police would look closely at whether these are legitimate student protests or whether people are using the Halloween mood for their own interests. Bavaria's interior minister Joachim Herrmann (요아힘 헤르만) of the CSU claimed that far-left activists and migrant men are clashing with police and looting in Paris, and said every effort must be made to stop such movements in Germany. [ 1 , 2 ]
Electronic Times reported that a German interior ministry spokesperson said federal and state governments are sharing information through the extremism and terror response centre and are coordinating with France, Italy and other European countries. Sociologist Peter Ulrich (페터 울리히) said large-scale violence like that in France is unlikely to be repeated in Germany, pointing to French protest traditions, the closed political system and differences in policing. Oliver Nachtwey (올리버 나흐트바이) of the University of Basel also thought a similar youth movement unlikely, citing a better job situation for young people in Germany. EU statistics put German under-25 unemployment at 7.4% in August, against 20.6% in France. [ 3 ]
In France, student protests that began over education conditions spread to issues such as rising living costs from the middle of last month, Electronic Times reported. It said about 550,000 people took part in protests across the country last weekend, by the French government's count. [ 3 ]
Why it matters
German authorities are treating the planned protests as a possible security problem, given the Halloween date and the unrest in France. Two sociologists quoted by one outlet consider a repeat of French-scale violence in Germany unlikely.
Key facts
- A movement named 'Z세대가 일어선다' (Gen Z Rises Up) has announced large protests across Germany for 31 October, Halloween. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Organiser Akram Zelo (아크람 젤로) told the dpa news agency: 'We clearly distance ourselves from any form of violence.' [ 1 , 2 ]
- Social media posts urge people to 'strike like the young people in France' and say 'it is time to resist'. [ 1 , 2 ]
- On Halloween night last year, young people set barricades on fire and shot fireworks at police, and 132 people were arrested in Berlin alone. [ 1 , 2 ]
- The group's website lists more than 10,000 people in 21 German cities as having said they would take part. [ 3 ]
- German unemployment among under-25s was 7.4% in August, against 20.6% in France, according to EU statistics cited by Electronic Times. [ 3 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- The group 'Z세대가 일어선다' has announced nationwide protests for 31 October. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- Organiser Akram Zelo said the group distances itself from violence. [ 1 , 2 ]
- German authorities are on alert because the date is Halloween, when violence has occurred in past years. [ 1 , 2 , 3 ]
- 132 people were arrested in Berlin on Halloween night last year after barricade fires and fireworks aimed at police. [ 1 , 2 ]
Still unclear
- How large the protests will be. Electronic Times says the real scale is hard to gauge; the group's website lists more than 10,000 people in 21 cities as willing to take part.
- What the protesters' main demands are. Yonhap and Hankook Ilbo list education, living costs, youth unemployment and opposition to conscription; Electronic Times lists climate measures, lower prices and opposition to compulsory service.
- Whether left-wing extremist groups are behind or influencing the protests. Yonhap and Hankook Ilbo say authorities suspect it, citing a report by the conservative daily Die Welt about activists from left-wing groups such as the SDAJ; no document shows evidence.
- Whether the protests will turn violent. The organiser rejects violence and two sociologists see it as unlikely, but some social media posts hint at violence and police are preparing for it.