Protests after gangs of men sexually assault scores of women in German city

Protesters have taken to the streets in Germany after about 90 women were sexually assaulted, robbed or threatened during New Year celebrations. Police are hunting gangs of young, mostly drunk, men suspected of carrying out the attacks - described as “a new dimension in crime” - outside Cologne’s cathedral. Cologne police chief Wolfgang Albers said officers described the men as looking as if they were from “the Arab or North African region” and mostly between 18 and 35 years old.

Mrs Merkel, is Germany ‘colourful and cosmopolitan’ enough for you after the wave of crimes and sexual attacks?

AfD leader Frauke Petry

The attacks occurred when around 1,000 men split into gangs as officers cleared a square to stop fireworks being thrown from steps into a crowd below. Around 150 people gathered in front of Cologne’s cathedral on Tuesday evening to protest against violence against women. One of them held a sign saying: “Ms Merkel where are you? What do you say? This scares us!" But the incident has fuelled calls from right-wing groups to shut down migration to Germany, which has taken in more than a million people in the last year, mostly from Middle Eastern war zones.

Everything must be done to investigate those responsible as quickly and completely as possible and punish them, regardless of where they are from.

Chancellor Angela Merkel

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