YOUNG PEOPLE PLAN PROTESTS IN MORE THAN 30 CITIES

BERLIN, OCTOBER 31 /SRNA/ - The German youth movement "Generation Z Takes Control" is calling for rallies in 34 cities across the country, with organizers expecting more than 165,000 people to take part.

Participants will take to the streets today to protest against compulsory military service and the high cost of living, and to call for investment in education, social security, healthcare and the fight against climate change.

The group explicitly calls for peaceful protests and rejects all forms of violence. On its website, the organizers say they do not want extremist groups or unconstitutional symbols at their demonstrations.

They also warn against bringing glass objects and weapons, as well as provoking the police, DPA reports.

The group was formed just a few weeks ago and has a central coordinating team of 30 people.

Although the group uses its website to promote demonstrations in 34 cities, it takes responsibility for the content and organization of only four of them – in Cologne, Berlin, Frankfurt and Munich.

In the retail sector, some stores have closed in certain locations amid fears of damage and violence.

German security services said they had received no information about any current calls for violence during the demonstrations.

The organizers said yesterday that the focus on the risk of violence at the demonstrations was distracting attention from the real concerns they were trying to raise.