The Federal Foreign Ministry on Sunday updated its travel advisory for France, urging German travelers to exercise caution as widespread protests, described by locals as "like a war," turned destructive over the weekend and extended to other European nations.
In its updated travel and security advice for France issued Sunday evening, the Foreign Ministry stated, "Further demonstrations and possibly riots in the coming days cannot be ruled out. Behave prudently and avoid demonstrations if possible." German citizens are advised to comply with the "instructions of the local security and law enforcement forces." The ministry also warned that fines and claims for damages could be imposed on individuals who fail to leave "unauthorized and violent demonstrations" when instructed.
The protests in France, which began in mid-September over issues such as overcrowded classrooms and a lack of educational resources and funding, have rapidly escalated. They have since evolved to include demonstrations against the rising cost of living, growing in size and destructiveness. Following particularly intense demonstrations on Saturday night, photographs from French cities depicted streets littered with glass and burnt-out cars and buildings.
In Paris, police reported a "record" 855 arrests, while government figures indicated approximately 550,000 people participated in the actions nationwide.
While nationwide school protests have not yet manifested in Germany, student demonstrators did block several high schools in Berlin over the weekend, prompting a police response. The German Press Agency reported that about 50 students gathered outside a high school in Berlin-Friedrichshain, blocking campus entrances. They demanded increased funding for education and protested against compulsory military service. A police spokesman noted that the demonstration, observed by 150 officers at its peak, remained peaceful.
The independent news outlet Our Central Europe also reported demonstrations at the Andreas-Gymnasium in Friedrichshain and the Leibniz-Gymnasium in Kreuzberg. Earlier, 150 students at the French Gymnasium in Berlin had barricaded their school's entrance, calling for solidarity with the growing movement in France.
In an op-ed published by Tagesspiegel, Monique-Olivia Mertins, from Berlin's state school committee, highlighted similar challenges facing German schools. Mertins wrote, "In winter, we sit in unheated rooms because the heating doesn't work again. In summer, the heat becomes so extreme that neither students nor teachers can concentrate…We have far too few teachers.
Far too many lessons are cancelled…But the pressure remains the same, we still take the exams," arguing that German schools suffer from underfunding, teacher shortages, and a political class that often disregards the needs of young, non-voting Germans.
