Youth protests in more than 30 German cities begin

Nationwide youth protests in several German cities began by early afternoon on Saturday, with hundreds gathering in Berlin, Frankfurt, Munich, Nuremberg, Dresden and Leipzig among other centres.

The initiative "Gen Z regelt" (Gen Z Takes Charge) has called for peaceful protests in more than 30 German cities.

It is demanding increased funding for schools, addiction support services and psychotherapy, measures to tackle the rising cost of living, greater social justice and stricter rules on greenhouse gas emissions.

The initiative opposes compulsory military service amid increasing indications from politicians that it could be imposed, as well as any expansion of government surveillance.

It remains unclear how many people will ultimately attend the demonstrations registered for 34 cities.

The organizers have called for peaceful demonstrations and rejected all forms of violence. They have also warned against carrying glass or weapons, as well as provocations toward the police.

On the Gen Z Takes Charge website, people could indicate their intention to participate with a simple mouse click. By the start of the protests at 2 pm (1300 GMT), more than 182,100 people had done so.

However, the expected attendance figures officially registered with the authorities in individual cities are considerably lower.

Fearing possible outbreaks of violence, many retailers, particularly along luxury shopping streets in major cities, had taken precautionary measures by boarding up their shop windows with wooden panels.

In some places, however, shops were closed because of the Reformation Day holiday.

The federal authorities said they had no further intelligence indicating calls for violence or plans for violent disturbances during the demonstrations.

Nevertheless, "parts of the left-wing extremist scene as well as isolated groups from foreign-related extremism" are also responding to the calls to participate, a spokeswoman for the Interior Ministry said.

In some locations, police deployed several hundred officers to maintain a visible presence. Drones were also scheduled to be used, including in Hamburg.

Representatives of Gen Z Takes Charge criticized the strong focus on concerns about violence.

"This shows that our point - that we are not being taken seriously and that nobody is listening to us - is actually valid. Nobody wants to engage with the issues we are raising. Instead, the only thing on the agenda is always the subject of violence," one of the demonstration organizers said.

In Berlin, several hundred people gathered at the Brandenburg Gate at the start of the protest. Police put the number at around 650, while organizers had not initially provided an estimate.

In Munich, approximately 1,000 people had gathered, according to police. Large numbers also took to the streets in Nuremberg. The atmosphere in both cities was relaxed at the outset.

At a rally in Frankfurt near the European Central Bank (ECB), police initially counted more than 1,500 participants. In Mainz, the figure was 1,200, according to police. Everything was proceeding peacefully, a police spokesman in Mainz said.

On Friday, organizers said the focus on the risk of violence at the demonstrations was distracting from the real concerns they were trying to raise.

According to its organizers, Gen Z Takes Charge came together just a few weeks ago, and has a central coordinating team of 30 people.

While the group uses its website to highlight demonstrations in 34 cities, it accepts responsibility for the content and organization of only four of them: in Cologne, Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich.