On Saturday, thousands of demonstrators took to the streets of Paris and Berlin, demanding action on rising living costs and a failing education system. French Interior Minister Laurent Nuñez warned that protesters who cover their faces with Halloween costumes could face fines, while German police chief Barbara Slowik Meisel announced an extra 1,500 officers would be deployed in the capital.
German authorities, meanwhile, have not reported any concrete evidence of coordinated looting. Meisel said the additional police presence was precautionary, noting that there was no indication that property would be targeted. The protests in Berlin are part of a broader wave of demonstrations that have seen hundreds of thousands of people take to the streets across Europe.
Both governments have urged protesters to remain peaceful, but the warnings about face coverings come amid concerns that anonymity could embolden disorder. As the demonstrations continue into the weekend, authorities remain on high alert, ready to intervene if violence escalates.
