School and university students in Germany have staged protests against the reintroduction of mandatory military conscription

 

Rallies are taking place in 17 cities simultaneously, according to the local radio station NDR.

The protests were triggered by the start of medical examinations in the state of Schleswig-Holstein. 

The German Ministry of Defense notes that, as of January, these examinations are mandatory for men born in 2008 or later.

 About 600 people attended a rally in Kiel. Strike participants reported that many had already received summonses for medical examinations. 

Around 200 people gathered in Flensburg, while several dozen turned out in other cities.

In Hamburg, protesters carried slogans such as "School Students Against War" and "No More Conscription." Representatives of the "School Strike Against Conscription" initiative called for protests across Germany for the fourth time.