Riots resulting from gas shortages would make anti-lockdown protests look like a “children’s birthday party”, one official has said.

Gas shortages in Germany brought about by a combination of long-term government mismanagement and Russia’s war in Ukraine are likely to prompt mass riots that will make previous anti-lockdown demos look like a “children’s birthday party”, an official has claimed.

The statement comes after a number of similar warnings from ministers in the country, many of whom fear that the political right will suddenly gain significant political and social capital due to people being unable to heat their homes.

A warning from the President of the Thuringian Office for the Protection of the Constitution during an interview with state-owned broadcaster ZDF on Wednesday has crystalised the issue somewhat, with the official responsible for maintaining the security of the contemporary German state in the region warning that mass violence was now looking likely.