More than 100 police officers were injured and 54 people detained after violence broke out in central Frankfurt following a youth demonstration on Saturday, October 31, Hesse officials said. Seventeen businesses were damaged and five were looted.
The Hesse Interior Ministry reported that 366 people were identified and police issued 1,225 orders for people to leave the area. Authorities said a special commission had been set up to investigate the events. The ministry’s assessment was published on November 2.
Windows were smashed, shops looted and barricades set alight in streets around the city centre. Police used water cannon to put out fires and clear obstacles. The Frankfurt police reported property damage and attacks on officers in areas including Hauptwache, Konstablerwache and the Zeil. The situation was brought under control after midnight.
Hesse Premier Boris Rhein condemned the violence, saying he was shocked and that those responsible would face consequences. The youth demonstration had been largely peaceful before violence broke out later, according to the reporting in the source material.
An earlier Euronews report cited 30 detentions. The later official tally raised that figure to 54. Police and prosecutors are investigating the incidents; the detentions do not establish guilt.
Dana Mcgee