Police barriers block route toward downtown
Participants had assembled at Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer before a planned procession through downtown Cologne. After police stopped the march, many demonstrators trying to leave the rally toward the main train station encountered police barriers, according to WDR's live ticker.
The gathering had been moved from Heumarkt to Konrad-Adenauer-Ufer near the Bastei as expected attendance rose from 5,000 to 15,000, exceeding what Heumarkt could accommodate, according to t-online's Cologne newsblog. The event was originally registered under the title "Bildung / Wehrpflicht / Bezahlbares Leben".
Cologne led online registrations
By Friday, more than 14,000 people had signed up online for the Cologne protest, the highest total of any city, t-online reported. Frankfurt followed with around 13,000 registrations and Berlin with more than 10,000. Nationwide, online registrations exceeded 160,000.
The nonpartisan youth initiative "Gen Z regelt" organized the protests and was responsible for their content and organization in five cities, including Cologne. Its demands include more funding for schools, addiction services and psychotherapeutic care; action on rising living costs; stronger climate protection; and a fairer distribution of financial burdens. It also opposes a possible return of conscription, according to t-online.
Retailers take precautions
Ahead of the Cologne demonstration, jeweler Wempe had heavy panels installed over its store windows on Hohe Straße and closed its German branches nationwide for Saturday. Perfume retailer Douglas also closed 12 stores in Germany as a precaution, t-online reported.
A separate demonstration called "Antifa regelt" was scheduled for Heumarkt. Cologne police had been monitoring it in advance, but the person who registered the event canceled it at short notice on Saturday, according to t-online.
Police interventions in Bonn and Düsseldorf
Police in Bonn also intervened over pyrotechnics during the nationwide Gen Z protests, WDR's live ticker reported.
In Düsseldorf, police provisionally arrested four men accused of agreeing to carry out violent actions. Police said it remained unclear whether the case was connected to the Gen Z demonstrations and that they were investigating other leads, according to WDR.
