FRANKFURT, Germany — What began as a series of largely peaceful youth demonstrations across Germany ended in violence on Saturday evening, with shops looted and police clashing with protesters in several cities.

Thousands took to the streets to voice frustration over the rising cost of living, cuts to public spending, inadequate funding for schools and concerns about compulsory military service. The demonstrations were organised by the campaign group Gen Z regelt and took place in more than 30 cities.

Frankfurt saw some of the most serious incidents. Police reported smashed shop windows and attacks on emergency services involving fireworks, stones and bottles. At least two shops were looted.

Police closed off part of the city's main shopping district as officers responded to the unrest. A gun shop was also targeted, with windows smashed. Authorities said two weapons were seized following the arrest of a suspect.

Elsewhere, police used water cannon to disperse crowds as disturbances spread to Berlin, Cologne and Hamburg. Barricades were also set on fire in some locations.

Despite the violence later in the day, organisers said the demonstrations were driven by concerns about young people's futures, particularly the affordability of everyday life and the state of Germany's public services.

The turnout was lower than organisers had anticipated. Police reported up to 18,000 participants across Frankfurt, Munich and Berlin, while around 36,000 registrations had been listed on the campaign group's website. German media, however, reported that tens of thousands joined demonstrations nationwide.

Gen Z regulator spokesperson Lina Friedrich said the campaign was calling for greater investment in education and healthcare while opposing compulsory military service.

"We are here to fight for peace and freedom, rather than for war and coercion," she said.

Friedrich also argued that public resources and responsibilities should be distributed more fairly, with better support for essential services.

Although most of the daytime rallies passed peacefully, tensions escalated in the evening. Frankfurt police later described the situation in the city centre as violent, reporting damaged shopfronts and attacks involving incendiary devices.

Roman Poseck, interior minister of Hesse state, where Frankfurt is located, condemned the violence. He claimed that around 100 people identified as left-wing extremists had become involved in the disturbances.

Poseck also warned against drawing comparisons with the unrest in France, where large numbers of people took part in youth-led demonstrations on the same day.

"France must not be held up as a model in this regard," he said, referring to reports of looting, arson and attacks on police officers.

The events exposed two very different sides of Saturday's demonstrations: young people raising concerns about living costs and public services, and violent incidents that overshadowed parts of the protest movement. The organisers' demands and the actions of those involved in the clashes remain separate issues.