Interior Ministers Warn on October 26: Halloween Demonstrations May Proceed Peacefully, Violence Will Be Met with a Stern Crackdown
On October 26, several German interior ministers issued warnings regarding the upcoming Halloween demonstrations: peaceful demonstrations will be protected, but any violent acts will be decisively dealt with by the police. The statement came against the backdrop of a rally in Stuttgart last weekend that turned violent, in which masked participants used fireworks and threw paint at police, injuring three officers, one of whom was temporarily unable to perform duty. Security authorities said a demonstration for better education is planned for October 31, and posts calling for disruptive actions have appeared on social media; however, claims of an organized extremist conspiracy currently come mainly from anonymous or partisan sources and have not been officially confirmed. Officials called on event organizers to prevent violent elements from exploiting the demonstrations, and said the police will combine de-escalation with criminal investigation and prosecution, holding lawbreakers accountable in accordance with the law. Some right-wing media, citing unnamed police sources, claimed that the mobilization of far-left extremists was inspired by footage of riots in France, and mentioned young people with a migration background taking part in targeted attacks - a characterization that contrasts with the official side's emphasis on public order and legal follow-up. For ordinary citizens, travel arrangements on October 31 are worth noting: traffic controls may appear along demonstration routes, and the police advise citizens to check local police notices in advance and avoid areas at risk of conflict. Disputes over education spending and public expenditure in Germany have continued in recent years, and whether the demands of students and youth groups can be answered through peaceful means will be key to observing the course of this round of demonstrations.
Source: GSM · USA (original Chinese edition)
Photo: 巴黎警务站（资料图）。摄影：The wub，CC BY-SA 4.0，取自 Wikimedia Commons。Photo: Police station, Paris (file photo). Credit: The wub, CC BY-SA 4.0, via Wikimedia Commons.
