Frankfurt police said hooded rioters damaged 17 stores in the financial hub on Saturday, with more than 100 police officers injured during violent disturbances. Interior minister Roman Poseck said police deployed 1,300 officers in Frankfurt over the weekend after protests organised by Gen Z regelt, or Gen Z takes charge, brought tens of thousands of people into the streets across dozens of German cities. Poseck said five of the 17 stores were looted. Police reported windows smashed and petrol bombs, rocks and bottles thrown at emergency services. Officials said 54 people aged between 13 and 29 were arrested. Police estimate they were dealing with between 1,000 and 1,500 violent troublemakers, mostly from an immigrant background, Poseck added. Germany’s interior minister Alexander Dobrindt said perpetrators would be identified and held to account, warning that severe penalties were expected. He said border controls had been tightened ahead of the protests over fears extremist groups from abroad could exploit them. Dobrindt accused troublemakers from the immigrant community of acting alongside left-wing extremists and other far-left groups, but he did not provide evidence or name the groups. The unrest followed similar scene in France, where protests continued largely peacefully after extensive riots and looting earlier in October.