Germany’s School Students’ Conference to hold separate protest on November 20 — Der Spiegel
Germany’s Federal School Students’ Conference will hold its own protest in Berlin on November 20 together with a civic alliance. The organization’s secretary-general, Emmy Kirchhoff, said this on RTL and n-tv, Der Spiegel reports.
According to Kirchhoff, teachers and other youth movements are also expected to take part in the event. The Education and Science Workers’ Union GEW, the Federal Parents’ Council and the Fridays for Future movement have already confirmed their participation. The organizers have also contacted other associations; in addition to Berlin, protests may also take place in other cities.
Reasons for the protest
Kirchhoff said that young people are outraged that politicians are making decisions about them without their participation. Among the problems, she named pensions, the labor market and the condition of schools, which, she said, are often neglected. She also noted that many young people no longer expect to live better than their parents.
The Federal School Students’ Conference had previously distanced itself from demonstrations planned by the Gen Z regelt initiative for October 31 in about 30 German cities. Participants in these protests intend to demand stronger climate protection, measures against the rising cost of living and oppose compulsory military service. The Gen Z regelt initiative explicitly rejects violence.
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Concerns over unrest
Kirchhoff explained the decision to hold a separate protest by Gen Z regelt’s unclear structure and concerns over possible unrest. She stressed that violence is not a solution to problems and that dialogue is necessary. At the same time, the conference representative voiced support for young people’s demand for greater investment, primarily in education.
Business associations, in a letter to Interior Minister Alexander Dobrindt, called for a visible police presence in crowded central urban areas and near retail facilities during the October 31 protests. Citing an assessment of the situation in France, the letter’s authors warned of possible operational disruptions due to blockades and gatherings. They also suggested that violence-prone participants could use peaceful protests for their own purposes. At the same time, Germany’s Interior Ministry said it currently sees no specific calls for violence.
Felix Banaszak, co-chair of the Green Party, warned against treating participants in youth protests in advance as potential offenders. In his view, the demands of the protest movement should be addressed politically rather than limited to warnings about violence.
