Germany's interior minister has blamed 'violent Left-wing groups and troublemakers from the migrant community' after a weekend of demonstrations descended into rioting and looting.
asserted
weekend → blame → rioting
Tens of thousands of people took to the streets in dozens of cities calling for better education and lower living costs, as a protest movement that began among secondary school students in France spread across the border for the first time.
asserted
that → take → time
The German protests were organised by the campaign group 'Gen Z regelt', meaning 'Gen Z takes charge'.
asserted
Z → organise → charge
Among their demands were more funding for education, policies against the rising cost of living, steps to fight climate change and a halt to efforts to reintroduce conscription.
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funding → rise → conscription
Alexander Dobrindt, the interior minister, promised severe punishments and credited a strong police response with preventing worse violence.
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Dobrindt → promise → violence
'The rioters and looters will be identified and held accountable,' Dobrindt told the Bild tabloid on Sunday.
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Dobrindt → identify → Sunday
'This breach of the peace must be followed by tough penalties.
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breach → follow → penalties
'Excesses of violence like those in Paris were prevented thanks to our highly committed police forces.
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Excesses → prevent → forces
He accused 'violent left-wing groups and troublemakers from the migrant community' of hijacking the otherwise peaceful demonstrations, without providing details.
asserted
He → accuse → details
Protesters light smoke flares after a demonstration organised by 'GenZ regelt' in Berlin on October 31
A person wearing a clown mask uses a traffic sign to smash a store window in Frankfurt on Saturday, October 31
A person dressed in a Batman costume stands in front of a burning trash dumpster in downtown Frankfurt on Saturday, October 31
Organisers claim around 120,000 people took part in the protests, which were mainly peaceful apart from the violence that broke out in cities such as Frankfurt, Berlin, Hamburg and Cologne.
Masked rioters in Frankfurt threw fireworks, stones, bottles and petrol bombs, injuring more than 100 police officers.
uncertain
rioters → light → officers
One officer was hit in the face with a stone, knocking out several of his teeth.
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officer → hit → teeth
At least five shops were looted and 17 damaged, including a gun store.
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17 → loot → store
Frankfurt police put the group of violent individuals at up to 1,500 people.
asserted
police → put → people
Officers arrested 54 people aged between 13 and 29, according to Roman Poseck, interior minister of the state of Hesse.
uncertain
Officers → arrest → Hesse
The majority of those arrested were German citizens, though many of those involved in the disturbances had migrant backgrounds, Poseck added.
asserted
Poseck → arrest → backgrounds
'Police currently estimate that they are dealing with between 1,000 and 1,500 violent troublemakers, predominantly from a migrant background,' he said.
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he → estimate → background
Police run past a trash dumpster set on fire by protesters in downtown Frankfurt on Saturday, October 31
People smash the windows of a store in downtown Frankfurt on Saturday, October 31
People take part in a protest under the slogan 'GenZ Has Had Enough!' in Berlin, Germany, on October 31
asserted
GenZ → run → October
Ines Schwerdtner, co-leader of The Left party, said that 'small groups of frustrated people' had triggered the riots after demonstrations that were 'peaceful and justified'.
asserted
that → say → demonstrations
The Gen Z regelt group told the German Press Agency: 'We had no influence on what happened after the demonstrations ended.
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demonstrations → tell → influence
Today, 100,000 people showed what they are taking to the streets for.'
asserted
they → show → streets
French students returning from autumn break blocked some high schools on Monday, determined to reinvigorate a protest movement despite government concessions during the holiday.
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students → return → holiday
The blockades came after hundreds of thousands of people, including students, took to the streets across the country on Saturday for a third consecutive weekend of demonstrations.
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thousands → come → demonstrations
Petrol bombs were hurled at police officers, engulfing three in flames.
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bombs → hurl → flames
They were treated for minor injuries and continued their duties.
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They → treat → duties
A photograph of an officer with his leg on fire during a clash with protesters in Paris on Saturday prompted widespread outrage.
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leg → prompt → outrage
Laurent Nuñez, France’s interior minister, described the attacks as 'attempted murder' and accused hard-Left extremist groups of using 'extraordinary' violence against the security forces.
Prosecutors launched an investigation over 'attempted murder of persons vested with public authority'.
asserted
Prosecutors → describe → authority
The prosecutor’s office said that about 15 explosive devices had been hurled at police.
asserted
devices → say → police
Many demonstrators wore Halloween costumes as they marched through French cities.
asserted
they → wear → cities
After hours of clashes between police and protesters, a group dressed in Halloween costumes gather once again in La Plaine Square on October 31 in Marseille, France
Many demonstrators wore Halloween costumes as they marched through French cities
A protestor waves a French flag among tear gas smokes while taking part in a nationwide demonstration over the rising cost of living and inequality organised by Yellow Vest movement, labour unions and high school and university students, in Lyon, central-eastern France on October 31
France has been rocked by widespread anger over the rising cost of living and inequality
Organisers said nearly half a million took part, including 200,000 in Paris, but the interior ministry put the nationwide turnout at 320,000
Organisers said nearly half a million took part, including 200,000 in Paris, but the interior ministry put the nationwide turnout at 320,000.
asserted
ministry → dress → 320,000
The ministry said groups had attempted to enter the centres of cities including Bordeaux, Toulouse and Marseille 'with the aim of carrying out vandalism and looting'.
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groups → say → vandalism
Unrest also took place in Lyon.
asserted
Unrest → take → Lyon
Overnight curfews were imposed in central Paris neighbourhoods until 6am on Sunday while around 70,000 police officers were deployed in an attempt to prevent a repeat of the widespread violence on October 17.
asserted
officers → impose → October
Demonstrations took place in Lisbon against a government housing bill that would make evictions easier and stop rent caps on new leases.
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evictions → take → leases
Hundreds of protesters occupied Rossio Square after a march through the Portuguese capital on Saturday, erecting more than 50 tents.
asserted
Hundreds → occupy → tents
Police officers with batons and shields moved in early on Sunday after issuing multiple warnings.
asserted
officers → move → warnings
At Dom Joao I Square in Porto, a smaller camp was dismantled.
asserted
camp → dismantle → Porto
In response to the unrest, Luis Montenegro, the Portuguese prime minister, said he was willing to amend the bill before a final vote but would not withdraw it.
asserted
he → say → it
Jose Luis Carneiro, the Socialist party leader, encouraged the government to hold talks with opposition parties and marchers rather than 'arrogantly imposing its views, sometimes even with authoritarian overtones'.
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Carneiro → encourage → overtones
In Albania, demonstrations in Tirana escalated into violence on Saturday night after a peaceful beginning.
asserted
demonstrations → escalate → beginning
Dozens of masked protesters hurled petrol bombs and paving stones at police and set fire to rubbish bins.
asserted
Dozens → hurl → bins
…and 3 more, not listed.
The Aporia
