Police reported arrests following overnight unrest in central Frankfurt as evidence collection and assessment of the damage continued.
What the Sunday morning update showed
Hessenschau reported on Sunday morning that police had made 30 arrests after the unrest, describing broken shop windows, looting and closures in parts of the centre. Final injury and damage figures were not yet available. Hessenschau / Hessischer Rundfunk
Police seek witnesses’ photographs and videos
In its statement about the evening of 31.10.2026, Frankfurt police described property damage, property offences and attacks on officers around Hauptwache, Konstablerwache, Zeil and adjoining streets after the assemblies. It asked witnesses with photographs or videos to submit them through its evidence portal. Polizei Hessen
A social protest cannot be reduced to the violence
Hessenschau’s account of the march describes thousands protesting for better education and affordable living, with proceedings initially peaceful. The procession stopped repeatedly over fireworks before police dispersed it. The report stresses that most participants were peaceful and that organizers distanced themselves from violence. Speakers also criticized spending cuts in education and health and opposed compulsory military service. These demands show the demonstration’s social and political dimensions alongside the debate over crowd management and the response to violence. Hessenschau / Hessischer Rundfunk
Business groups sought safety and respect for assembly
Before the protest, Hesse’s retail and hospitality associations called for calm and access to the centre for customers and employees. Their statement supported peaceful assembly alongside protection of businesses and property and safe access to workplaces. Handelsverband Hessen
Assembly rights and responsibility for conduct
The published German Basic Law’s Article 8 protects Germans’ right to assemble peacefully and unarmed without prior notification or permission, while allowing outdoor assemblies to be restricted by or under a law. German Federal Ministry of Justice / Gesetze im Internet
