Jump to content

2015–16 New Year's Eve sexual assaults in Germany

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

This is an old revision of this page, as edited by 81.88.116.27 (talk) at 00:53, 26 January 2016 (Undid revision 701650097 by 93.129.94.182 (talk) - RV nonsense). The present address (URL) is a permanent link to this revision, which may differ significantly from the current revision.

New Year's Eve sexual assaults in Germany
Cities where incidents were reported
LocationGermany, Austria, Switzerland, Finland
Date31 December 2015 (2015-12-31)–1 January 2016 (2016-01-01) (CET)
TargetWomen were the primary targets of groping and other sexual assaults, including at least three alleged rapes. Both women and men were victims of physical assault and theft.[1]
Attack type
Sexual assault, rape and robbery
VictimsAt least 3 alleged rapes and more than 1,300 sexual assaults and robberies reported: 821 complaints in Cologne, 218 in Hamburg, and more in other cities.[2][3][4][5][6] 1,650+ people victims of the alleged crimes.[7][8][9][10]
No. of participants
1000+ men and teenagers of Arab and North African appearance[11][12][13][14]

During the 2016 New Year's Eve celebrations, widespread allegations of sexual assaults including groping, numerous thefts and at least three rapes were reported in Germany, primarily within Cologne.[15] There were also several similar incidents in Hamburg, Frankfurt, Dortmund, Düsseldorf, Stuttgart,[16] and Bielefeld,[3][17][18] all of which involved the perpetrators acting in groups.[19][20]

Former Cologne police chief Wolfgang Albers, who was subsequently transferred to provisional retirement for his handling of the situation, told the BBC that the sexual assault perpetrators were of "Arab or North African appearance" and called the incident "a completely new dimension of crime".[20] It was later revealed by police that 18 of the 31 suspects checked by the Federal Police on New Year's Eve were asylum seekers, who were suspected of grievous bodily harm, robbery and theft.[21]

The 30 suspects identified by the Cologne police include 15 asylum seekers, the other were people who are supposed to have entered Germany illegally, and two who are underage unaccompanied refugees. Eight of these people have been detained.[22] 25 of these 30 are from Algeria and Morocco.[22][23][24] Ralf Jäger, Minister of the Interior of North Rhine-Westphalia stated, there was "so far no evidence that the perpetrators had arranged the assaults before New Year's Eve. Evidence on 'appointments of groups' did not exist. The suspects also did not come from the Antänzer scene", pickpockets who feint their victims by dancing up to them. According to Jäger, some perpetrators did use social media, but only to make appointments for New Year's Eve celebrations.[22]

The German desk of English-language news outlet The Local reported that the Cologne assaults went unreported by the national media for days, and that many outlets started reporting the incidents only after a wave of anger on social media made covering the story unavoidable.[25]

The attacks were condemned by Cologne Mayor Henriette Reker.[20] The police response and delayed media reaction met strong criticism from German citizens, with some placing blame on the European migrant crisis.[20]

The governments of Slovakia and the Czech Republic have called for an emergency EU meeting following these events and various other EU governments made statements concerning the attacks.[citation needed]

Events

Cologne

Cologne main square between the central railway station and the city's cathedral was the main site of the alleged robberies and assaults.

On 31 December 2015, witnesses reported that firecrackers were thrown into a crowd from a group of people of around 500, which had doubled in size by later that night, at the square in front of Cologne's Central Station.[26] Following this event, groups of men allegedly exploited the confusion to rob and sexually assault people in the area and within the station.[26][27] According to witnesses the attackers surrounded women in groups of 30–40.[28]

According to the Cologne police report on 2 January, the suspects mostly used sexual assault (including groping) to distract victims while robbing mobile phones and wallets. The Police said that the sizes of the groups ranged from 2 to 20 people.[29]

A female undercover police officer was sexually assaulted, the offender grabbing into her pants.[30] In other cases the clothes of the victims were torn from the body.[31] Media reports included the case of an American woman, who was protected by Syrian men forming a ring around her and bringing her to her boyfriend.[32]

Cologne mayor Henriette Reker said in a press conference on 5 January that there was "no evidence, that people who are residing in Cologne as refugees are amongst the perpetrators". Cologne's police president, Wolfgang Albers, stated: "the police has no knowledge about the offenders".[27] To some including the German Minister of justice Heiko Maas, the assaults appeared to be coordinated, the perpetrators having arrived in large groups.[33]

According to Albers, who was subsequently transferred to provisional retirement for his handling of the situation, the alleged perpetrators were all men "of Arab or North African appearance" between the ages of 15 and 35, who could not speak German.[1][2][34][35] The perpetrators were reported to be several groups of heavily intoxicated men of Arab or North African appearance, who emerged from a gathering of up to 1,000 men.[11][12][36]

On 7 January, several anonymous police officers from Cologne denied statements that the police did not know the nationality of the perpetrators; they told the press that "most of them" would have been freshly arrived asylum seekers.[37] Contradicting statements from Cologne police leaders, these officers said that the identities of many people, including arrestees, had been thoroughly checked, so that police knew which groups of people were involved.[37]

Around 70 people had been checked, and several brought to police stations or taken into custody. The majority of those in detention were Syrians.[37] The officers also denied that the sexual harassments were only incidental, saying that the truth was "exactly the opposite": Most Arab perpetrators sought primarily to commit sexual offenses, or in their words "sexual amusement".[38] Arnold Plickert, North Rhine Westphalia's representative of German police union Gewerkschaft der Polizei confirmed that asylum seekers were "definitely" involved.[37][39]

On 8 January, he Federal Ministry of the Interior acknowledged that two-thirds of the suspects checked by the Federal Police — who are responsible for the railways and railway stations in Germany — in Cologne were asylum seekers. The same report stated that 31 suspects were identified by name, including 18 asylum seekers. In total, the suspects were nine Algerians, eight Moroccans, four Syrians, five Iranians, two Germans, an Iraqi, a Serb, and an American.[21] Another report on the same day stated that stolen mobile phones were located by the police within or in the vicinity of refugees' residences.[40]

By 8 January, 170 women including a police officer had reported crimes to the police, including two rapes, with the events taking place in the main square between the station and Cologne Cathedral and within and outside the central railway station.[3][4][40][41][42] The number increased to 379 on the following day, and sexual offences were alleged in 40 percent of these cases. Most suspects were described as men of persons of North African appearance. The increase was explained by the fact that more officers have been assigned to the investigation, so complaints from more police stations are being evaluated. Many of the attacked women were non-residents, visitors or other travellers in the main station.[43] By 11 January, the number of complaints was 553, with sexual offences comprising nearly half of the cases.[24]

The next day it was reported that the number had risen to 653, but a correction later that day set the number at 561. According to the department of public prosecution there has been a transmission error ("Übermittlungsfehler").[44][45] By 14 January, the number rose again to 652,[46] by 15 January to 676 complaints, 347 of these including sexual offences.[7] As of 19 January the number was 766 complaints,[9] rising to 821 on 21 January, including 359 sexual offences.[22] The number of victims is higher, as some complaints included more than one victim: 1,049 people were affected in total.[7][9][22] 3 women were allegedly raped.[6][9][47] Some complaints also include the allegation of denial of assistance against some policemen and against former police president Wolfgang Albers.[48]

Hamburg

Similar events took place in Hamburg, specifically on or near Reeperbahn, St. Pauli,[34] where 53 women reported being sexually assaulted or robbed.[49][50][51] By 7 January, the number of complaints to the police in Hamburg increased to 70,[52] by 8 January to 108,[53] by 12 January to 153,[54] to 195 by January 14,[8] to 205 as of 20 January,[55] and to 218 by 21 January.[56] 351 people where reported to be victim of the alleged crimes.[56] 8 people were identified as suspects, all of them being migrants and some recently arrived refugees.[8] A first suspect was arrested on January 21.[56] According to the police the number of suspects is likely to rise.[8] Most incidents took place around the street of Große Freiheit near the Reeperbahn.[57] Some policemen stood at the entrances of the long small street, but did not realise that sexual offences were taking place in a huge crowd on this street or were themselves reluctant to act as they were clearly in the minority. Many women - except one - did not even have time or were too upset to call the emergency numbers that night.[57]

Some incidents ocurred on a shopping street, Jungfernstieg, where "several hundred" "highly aggressive and intoxicated" migrants threw fire crackers into the crowd. The police described the situation there as "borderline", because only 20 policemen were available there after midnight.[58] On the Reeperbahn, bouncers acted to accompany and protect women, and sales at some clubs and bars fell. On New Year's Eve, doormen were often the only people who could help victims, even those accompanied by husbands or partners.[57][59] They opened a backyard in which they established a protection zone for the offended women.[57] Doormen described the perpetrators as refugees, which they saw among other characteristics from their mismatching clothes.[57] Mayor Olaf Scholz demanded quicker deportation of criminal migrants in reaction to the events.[58]There has been an increased police presence, especially on the Reeperbahn.[57]

Other cities

Criminal activity was also reported in Düsseldorf (at least 41 complaints) and Frankfurt (at least 22 complaints), as well as at least 72 complaints in Stuttgart.[3][28][34][49][60][61][62]

In Düsseldorf, 41 complaints of sexual assaults and theft were made to the police, after 15 were reported earlier.[53] In Frankfurt the number of complaints of sexual assaults was 22.[61] In Stuttgart, 72 complaints were made to the police by 20 January – 17 of which included sexual offences.[62]

In Dortmund at least 2 complaints of sexual assaults were made, but the police stated that there are probably more victims. Witnesses told the media of two groups of men, 150 within Dortmund main station, 200-300 outside. One witness described the group in the station as "strangely silent". Another witness stated, the men outside were "aggressive". The victims were then sexually assaulted by smaller groups of men of Arabic or southern origin near the station.[63][64]

In Bielefeld, several young women were reported to be sexually assaulted and robbed by men of North African origin in and around a discotheque. Aroung 500 men tried to force their access into the building. According to witnesses, the doormen pushed back the attackers by using fire extinguishers and tear gas. They also rescued women by pulling them into the building. The perpetrators were reported to be "highly aggressive" "especially against women". At least 3 complaints of sexual assaults have been made.[3][17][18][65]

On 20 January, North Rhine-Westphalia Police published provisional figures for the four cities in its territory, Bielefeld, Cologne, Dortmund, and Düsseldorf. There were complaints of nearly 1,000 crimes with 1,216 victims for the four cities alone.[10]

In addition, similar assaults in Austria, Finland, Switzerland, and Sweden were reported.[66][67]

Police response

Cologne police Twitter post describing atmosphere as "playful" on New Year's morning

In Cologne, police dispatched 143 local officers and 70 federal officers to restore order. However, due to darkness and the number of people involved, police chief Wolfgang Albers conceded that their efforts were not effective.[26]

Cologne police came under criticism for their handling of the situation, as they initially described the New Year's Eve celebrations as "playful" and "largely peaceful". One victim who was robbed and assaulted was told to report the incident elsewhere by the police.[2] Interior Minister Thomas de Maizière also criticized the North Rhine-Westphalia police for describing the celebrations as "peaceful".[68] Police chief Wolfgang Albers rejected the criticism, calling the assaults "a completely new dimension of crime".[60]

Police told reporters they were investigating whether the attacks in Cologne were linked to a known criminal network in Düsseldorf.[49][69]

On 7 January, the police acknowledged an information blackout until the interior committee of the parliament of North Rhine-Westphalia discussed the events on Monday, 11 January 2016. That same day, a report by a leading police officer in Cologne on New Years Eve was cited in several newspapers. It includes criticism that the number of police forces was too small to deal with the events.[41] According to the report the perpetrators acted "with a disrespect I didn't see in 29 years of service." Some shouted: "I am Syrian! You have to treat me friendly. Mrs Merkel has invited me!" Others tore their immigration papers while saying: "You can't do me anything. [sic] Tomorrow I will go and get new papers".[70] Because of the allegations of misinformation and the "loss of public trust" police chief Wolfgang Albers was transferred to provisional retirement for his handling of the situation on 8 January.[71][72]

The German Federal Criminal Police Office (Bundeskriminalamt, BKA) stated on January 9, the incidents of collective sexual harassment were a phenomenon known in Arab countries as "taharrush gamea" ("communal sexual harassment").[73] The BKA announced to investigate the facts about incidents of this kind in all German federal states and learn how to fight them.[73]

Suspects and detainees

There were conflicting reports about the number of detainees. According to first reports by the BBC, eight suspects, all asylum seekers, were detained in Cologne though no official statement on their involvement was made.[34] Further reports said that five men from ages 18 to 24 were arrested, although they were later found to have committed unrelated crimes.[49] Reports on 7 January suggested that police officials detained more people, namely asylum seekers, on New Year's Eve than they admitted publicly.[37] According to a police report leaked to the media, there were 71 people controlled, of whom 11 were arrested, and 4 taken into custody.[74] As of 7 January, the police of Cologne only officially confirmed there were 16 suspects.[74]

On 8 January, Cologne Police announced the arrest of two suspects in connection with the attacks. They were identified—in keeping with German privacy law—as Issam D., 16, Moroccan, and Mohamed T., 23, Tunisian. Both were said to be asylum seekers. The police said they found video footage of assaults on New Year's Eve on their mobile phones. The suspects were also found in possession a piece of paper with Arabic-German translations of derogatory sexual terms.[75] Both of them were set free shortly after their arrest.[76]

As of January 8, Federal Police had identified 31 suspects, among whom were 18 identified asylum seekers. Of the 31 suspects, 17 were said by the Interior Ministry to be Algerian or Moroccan. There were 2 Germans and one U.S. citizen among the suspects identified.[77] An additional 19 suspects were later identified by Cologne's police as being "almost exclusively" migrants. Of the 19 suspects identified on 11 January, 14 were men from Morocco and Algeria. 10 were asylum seekers, 9 of whom had arrived in Germany after September 2015. The other 9 suspects may be in the country illegally.[78][79] The number of suspects had risen to 23 by 12 January. The department of public prosecution opened criminal proceedings against 13 people, 5 of whom were in detention at that time.[14][23][24][44][46] On 19 January, it was reported that there was a first arrest because of allegations of sexual offences.[9] The detainee was a 26-year old Algerian who was living in an refugee camp in Kerpen.[9] He was arrested on the last weekend along with a fellow countryman who was accused of theft.[9] By 21 January, there were 30 suspects for the Cologne incidents, 25 of them were of Moroccan or Algerian origin. 15 of the 30 were asylum seekers, 2 underage unaccompanied refugees. 8 people are in investigative custody.[22][47]

8 people were known as suspects in Hamburg, all of them migrants, some refugees.[8] On 20 January, Hamburg police published photos of two wanted persons who are suspected to have sexually assaulted an 18-year old girl in the early morning hours of 1 January on the street of Große Freiheit,[55] which led to the arrest of a 29-year old male migrant from Afghanistan on 21 January. He was recognised by a security guard of a refugee reception center in Hamburg. A second suspected migrant was freed shortly after his arrest due to lack of adequate suspicion.[56]

In Stuttgart, a 20-year old asylum seeker from Iraq was detained who sexually assaulted two girls, acting out of a group.[62] In Frankfurt the police is investigating, if 10 men in the age of 15 to 27, all asylum seekers or refugees, who were temporarily arrested as pickpockets on New Year's Eve near the bridge of Eiserner Steg, are also involved in sexual assaulting of women. One of the suspects is in investigative custody.[61] By 20 January, the North Rhine-Westphalia Police, responsible for Bielefeld, Cologne, Dortmund, and Düsseldorf, reported that 52 people were suspects, a majority of whom were of non-German origin.[10]

Reinhard Merkel, law professor from Hamburg, said that convicting perpetrators especially for sexual offences will be difficult because an unequivocal identification by the victims is needed which is often not the case. Furthermore, policemen stated that the video footage of the cameras within and outside the Cologne main station is partly unusable.[80]

Reactions

Local government

Cologne mayor Henriette Reker (l.) and police chief Wolfgang Albers (c.) in a press conference, 5 January 2016

The Mayor of Cologne Henriette Reker called for women to follow a "code of conduct", including staying at "arm's length" from strangers,[81][82] and later came under criticism for her comments. By the evening of 5 January, #einearmlänge (an arm's length) became one of Germany's top-trending hashtags on Twitter.[68] Reker called a crisis meeting with the police in response to the incidents.[2][34] Reker called it "completely improper" to link the perpetrators to refugees.[60]

State interior minister of North Rhine-Westphalia Ralf Jäger said, "We will not accept that groups of North African men gather expressly for the purpose of debasing women by sexually assaulting them."[11] He said police had to "adjust" to the fact that groups of men had attacked women. He also spoke against anti-immigrant groups, saying: "What happens on the right-wing platforms and in chat rooms is at least as awful as the acts of those assaulting the women... This is poisoning the climate of our society."[83]

North Rhine-Westphalias head of state, Hannelore Kraft, stated that against this new dimension of violence and sexual assaults by men, police and courts should and will act consequently. She expressed her hope that as many offenders as possible are identified and punished, which had to happen regardless of background. If the requirements were met, perpetrators also should be deported.[84] A week later she was skeptical about any possible deportations. Even if the requirements were met, the already identified perpetrators from Algeria and Morocco could not be deported as those countries would likely simply refuse to accept them back.[85] Kraft and Jäger criticised Cologne's police leaders for not requesting police reinforcements, which were said to have been on standby on New Year's Eve.[86] The CDU's Secretary General Peter Tauber, whose party is in opposition in North Rhine-Westphalia, urged Jäger to step down because of the events.[87]

In the following days Reker faced allegations that she had been well-informed by the Cologne police earlier on New Year's Eve than she claimed, which contradicted her own statements.[88] Jäger was attacked by the opposition parties in North Rhine-Westphalias parliament, CDU and FDP, which applied for an parliamentary enquiry committee for the Cologne events. In reaction the state government published a timeline of its communication with the police authorities, which shows that some information was transmitted to the state government late by Jäger e.g. with a delay of three days after New Year's Day. The state government defended itself, including Jäger, by stating that the true extent of the assaults was "not foreseeable" at this time.[89]

Local population

Protesters gather outside Cologne Cathedral with a sign reading "No to violence against women"

On 5 January, between 200 to 300 women protested outside the Cologne Cathedral, demanding respect for women and action from Chancellor Angela Merkel.[68][90]

Many Germans reacted with concern and anger. In neigbouring Düsseldorf, where 41 complaints to the police in connection with sexual assaults and theft were made, a vigilante group was founded as a reaction to the events. The related Facebook page of the "Düsseldorf passt auf" ("Düsseldorf watches out") group has managed to get more than 3.300 members within two days. The Düsseldorf police denounced their activities and referred to the monopoly on legitimate use of force of the German state.[91] The sales of legally available pepper and tear gas sprayers increased significantly.[92] The assocation of gun makers and dealers (Verband Deutscher Büchsenmacher und Waffenfachhändler VDB) assumes increased sales due to the events.[92] In the Rhineland, requests for small weapons licences (Kleiner Waffenschein) increased as well.[93] Gun legislation in Germany is strict, The Grundgesetz (Article 8) right of assembly explicitly prohibits carrying weapons in rallies and demonstrations. Gun ownership in Germany is widespread: Estimates of the actual guns in private use and property go up to 45 million, the legal gun owners amount to about 3.3 million.[94]

Attacks against immigrants

On January 10, 11 people were beaten in Cologne, in an area close to the sexual assaults. The victims included 6 Pakistanis, 3 Guineans and 2 Syrians.[95] The victims were injured and hospitalized.[96] These attacks were quickly reported by the media. Der Express described the attackers as "a group of thugs" who had planned a "manhunt" for asylum seekers. The attacks were condemned by Justice Minister Heiko Maas.[citation needed]

"Rapefugees not welcome", was coined as a slogan following the events in Cologne.[97] Lutz Bachmann, who produced merchandise featuring the slogan, was accused of incitement of the people.[98]

Federal politics

Merkel and Justice Minister Heiko Maas condemned the assaults. Maas described the assaults as a "completely new dimension of organized criminality."[2] Merkel contacted Reker, calling for a tough response.[99] She said everything must be done "to find the perpetrators as quickly and comprehensively as possible and punish them, regardless of their origin or background," and promised preventive measures for the carnival in February.[1][60][90] Sigmar Gabriel (SPD), vice chancellor and Minister for Economics, demanded quicker deportations of sentenced criminal migrants. There should be "zero tolerance for criminality and sexual assaults".[100] Claudia Roth (Green Party) stated that the attacks could not be exculpated, but that they were "not the first eruptions of sexual violence in our society". She accused an "organised mob" on the Internet of "calling for a hunt on non-white people and taking revenge".[101]

According to Volker Bouffier, vice-president of Chancellor Angela Merkel's CDU party, the attacks have weakened the consensus in favour of Germany's accepting large numbers of refugees from Syria and the Middle East: "Cologne has changed everything. People are now doubting."[102] On 9 January, the CDU adopted the "Mainz declaration" ("Mainzer Erklärung"), in which the party toughens its acting against criminality by migrants. Random police checks are as well included as quicker deportations of criminal migrants, even if they are only sentenced to imprisonment on probation. To date acceptance for asylum seekers can only be denied if they are sentenced to a three year imprisonment at least, with a deportation below this degree of penalty possible but not mandatory.[103]

On 12 January, Hans-Jürgen Papier, former head of the German Federal Constitutional Court criticised the refugee policy of Angela Merkel. According to his statement, the public mood has shifted after the events of Cologne, which "manifested a partial failure of the state as a guarantor of freedom and safety of its citizens." He demanded an "altering of the course" by the government and added: "We have a legal vacuum regarding the protection of external [German] borders, which must not be." Illegal immigration had to be stopped.[104]

On 14 January, criticism of Merkel grew as former chancellor Gerhard Schröder as well as Stephan Weil, Prime Minister of Lower Saxony (both SPD) questioned her policies. Weil stated that the events of Cologne were "a low blow in every sense". The decision of Merkel to open the borders "fatally permanently led to a special role of Germany in Europe", which had to be ended. The chancellor had to correct herself. After the numerous offenses of Cologne Schröder called for a crackdown of the state and a consistent deportation of offenders. "Such people, no matter of which cultural background, have no place in Germany", he said. He accused Merkel of not having a plan in the refugee crisis.[105][106] Former foreign minister Joschka Fischer (Green Party) defended the chancellor and demanded restraint of the Constitutional Court judges Papier and Udo Di Fabio, who accused Merkel of breaking the law.[107]

On January 15 German Minister of Finance, Wolfgang Schäuble (CDU), suggested to establish the possibility of a national deployment of the German Federal Armed Forces as "nearly all other countries" did. Schäuble insisted that only securing the EU external borders was the solution to the migrant crisis.[108] On the same day opinion polls like Politbarometer showed declining approval for the migration policy of Angela Merkel and a significant rise of the right wing AfD party which would be third political force with 10 to 11 percent of votes, in some federal states up to 15 percent.[109][110] An opinion poll by INSA/YouGov published on 18 January predicted 12.5 percent for the AfD for the federal elections while CDU figures fell to 32.5 percent, an all-time low for this poll.[111]

From 16-19 January 2016, several politicians demanded alterations to the migration policies of Merkel in reaction to the events, including Horst Seehofer, Prime Minister of Bavaria, his predecessor Edmund Stoiber or German Minister of Transportation Alexander Dobrindt, all members of the Bavarian CSU party which is in the federal government, but opposes Merkels course in the migration crisis.[112] Around 50 CDU Bundestag MPs wrote a letter to Merkel demanding the closure of the borders.[112] Other CDU MPs supported Merkel.[112] SPD chief Sigmar Gabriel urged Merkel to act. He demanded that Morocco and Algeria take back those migrants to be deported by Germany.[113] Others such as SPD vice chairwoman Aydan Özuguz warned of closing the borders.[112]

BBC correspondent Gavin Hewitt describes the attacks as having "a profound impact on the rest of Europe. Certainly the boldness of the assaults and the sense of a powerless state will haunt the victims, but what has also been lost is trust – the essential glue in any society."[102]

A Cologne-based imam, Sami Abu-Yusuf, stated in an interview with the Russian television channel REN TV, the women in Cologne were responsible themselves for the incidents, because they were "running around half naked ... It's not surprising that the men attacked them. Dressing up like that is like pouring oil into the fire", he added.[114] Volker Beck (Green Party) complained to the police about the imam's comments as they "bring all Muslims into disrepute".[114] The Ministry of the Interior of North Rhine-Westphalia acknowledged, the Imam was under surveillance by the Federal Office for the Protection of the Constitution.[114]

Media

It is noteworthy that the Cologne events happended practically within eyesight of major news outlets like the state TV station WDR, the CNN affiliates N-TV and RTL and the editorial offices of the most major local newsparers Stadt-Anzeiger and Express, which have a permanent live cam pointed at the location (Köln.tv).

These and several other media outlets at first ignored the story and only started reporting on the incidents on 5 January, after a wave of anger on social media made covering them unavoidable.[25] This delay was criticised by several politicians, including Hans-Peter Friedrich.[115] The public television channel ZDF later acknowledged that they had failed to report on the incidents despite having sufficient knowledge to do so.[116][117] ZDF later called this a "clear misjudgment", and said since then, it has been "over-whelmed with hate and anger".[102] This has reinforced discontent previously held by the German public with news coverage relating to the European migrant crisis as well as a readiness to support the idea of the "Lügenpresse" (literally lying press).[102][118]

The delay in reporting on the assaults in the media lead to accusations that the authorities and the media attempted to ignore or cover up the attacks to avoid criticism against the current asylum and migration policy of the government.[1][119][120] The BBC's Gavin Hewitt wrote that "What has fuelled the sense of crisis is the suspicion - now widely held - that the German establishment is not telling the truth."[102]

Independent writers wrote for Al Jazeera on 9 January that the response of German society had thus far had "little to do with protecting women and more to do with scapegoating the Middle Eastern or North African 'other' entering Germany."[121]

The conservative The New York Times columnist Ross Douthat warned of the transformative consequences of rapid, unchecked, mass immigration, especially of young men. In his opinion not only Germany has to close the borders and to expel refugees who are in good health, but Angela Merkel also has to step down, "so that her country, and the continent it bestrides, can avoid paying too high a price for her high-minded folly."[122]

Eric Gujer of the Swiss-based Neue Zürcher Zeitung wrote: "The terrible night of Cologne shows that the immigration runs out of control. This is also a consequence of a policy that promotes irresponsibility and despises security."[123]

In Russia, the state-run Rossiyskaya Gazeta stated that after the "Night of the Long Fingers" (a play on words that compares the event to the Nazi's night of the long knives) German media refused "to illuminate the extent of raids, plundering and rapes committed by refugees".[124]

Vice director Federico Geremicca of La Stampa wrote: "Angela Merkel now pays the price for the (Jacobin?) decision of this summer to accept all Syrian refugees and is, in the eyes of German public opinion, becoming the number one person responsible for the climate of fear and insecurity that is spreading in the country."[125]

After the assailants were described by police and victims as young foreign men who spoke neither German nor English, a debate ensued as to how to deal with a large influx of young, mostly Muslim men from cultures where women lack the freedoms and protections they enjoy in the West. Far-right and anti-immigrant groups cited the attacks as evidence of dangers related to accepting huge numbers of migrants, but similar concerns were also expressed by mainstream elements within German society.[1]

A viral video was made, containing the personal details of one of the victims and accusing her of making a false allegation to spread anti-Muslim propaganda. The video circulated among German Islamic extremists, including Pierre Vogel. The victim, fearing reprisals, managed to get the video removed by telling its creator that she was prepared for legal action.[126]

International reaction

There were reports of tourists cancelling trips to Cologne in the aftermath of the attacks, including one tour group calling off their entire summer schedule in the city.[127]

Belgium’s immigration minister ordered migrants to participate in “respect for women” courses in order to calm public opinion over the sex attacks.[128] On 8 January, Czech Prime Minister Bohuslav Sobotka issued a statement supporting Slovakia's proposal.[129]

Pope Francis acknowledged that Europeans had the right to be concerned over terrorism and changes to "cultural and social structures" via immigration, and stated that the continent "has the means to defend the centrality of the human person and to find the right balance between its twofold moral responsibility to protect the rights of its citizens and to ensure assistance and acceptance to migrants".[130]

Prime Minister of Hungary Viktor Orbán the issued a call for immediate halt of all immigration to Europe and establishment of "European defence line" on Greece's northern borders with Macedonia and Bulgaria.[128]

The Deputy Prime Minister of the Netherlands and Minister for Social Affairs Lodewijk Asscher condemned Henriette Reker for implying that women could have prevented the attacks on themselves.[131] Poland's Foreign Minister Witold Waszczykowski sent an official letter to Frank-Walter Steinmeier, the German Minister of Foreign Affairs, asking if there were any Polish citizens hurt during the events. Waszczykowski criticized the German authorities for their handling of the situation and stated that it is likely that the German government tried to conceal the events and ban people from telling others about these events. Waszczykowski stated that in his view the migration wave to Europe (which he linked to the events) was used by the Islamic State or other terrorist organizations.[132][133] Polish Minister of Justice on 9 January in letter to German EU commissioner Günther Oettinger stated that information about these events was concealed by German media and that there is censorship in Germany.[134]

Prime Minister of Slovakia Robert Fico called for an emergency summit of EU in the wake of the attacks, and declared he will act to stop Muslim refugees from entering the country. Fico stated "We don't want something like what happened in Germany taking place in Slovakia".[129]

Incidents in other countries

Similar attacks on New Year's Eve were reported outside of Germany by 7 January in Austria, Finland, and Switzerland.[66] In Helsinki, "widespread sexual harassment" was reported, and three Iraqi asylum seekers were detained.[135] The deputy police chief of Helsinki said: "There hasn't been this kind of harassment on previous New Year's Eves or other occasions for that matter... This is a completely new phenomenon in Helsinki."[136] The Finnish National Bureau of Investigation denied initial suspicions that assaults similar to those in Cologne had been planned in Helsinki.[137] The police department of Helsinki received information relating to three cases of sexual harassment, of which two have led to a report of an offence.[138]

In Sweden, several cities reported similar events of immigrants sexually harassing girls and women. Among them were Malmö, Helsingborg, Karlstad, and Kalmar.[139][140][141][142] Additionally in January, news emerged of an alleged police cover-up of sexual crimes at a Stockholm youth festival in the two previous summers, in which it was alleged that many perpetrators were of migrant background.[143]

Analysis

The sexual assaults in Germany were compared by several newspapers and authorities like German Federal Criminal Police Office (BKA) with attacks on women reported after the Arab Spring in numerous public places in Cairo, especially Tahrir Square, the most prominent victim of which was television journalist and correspondent Lara Logan. Egyptian women and in some cases foreign journalists were surrounded by groups of young men, often having been touched with sexual intent and partly undressed, or stripped naked and gang raped.[144][145][146][147]

According to a report on the Cologne events published by the BKA - and as cited by Die Welt on 10 January – the phenomenon is known in some Arab countries as Taharrush gamea: "The BKA knew from some Arab countries the phenomenon of jointly committed sexual harassment of women in public. This type of crime was called there "taharrush gamea" ("Communal sexual harassment")."[73][148]

See also

References

  1. ^ a b c d e "Reports of Attacks on Women in Germany Heighten Tension Over Migrants". Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  2. ^ a b c d e "A 'new dimension' of sexual assault in Cologne". Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  3. ^ a b c d e [http://www.faz.net/aktuell/politik/inland/koeln-meldet-inzwischen-106-anzeigen-nach-uebergriffen-an-silvester-14000124.html "Mehr als 100 Anzeigen nach Übergriffen an Silvester", Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  4. ^ a b "Polizei stockt Ermittlungsgruppe deutlich auf", Der Tagesspiegel; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  5. ^ "German MPs to discuss New Year's Eve sexual attacks". Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  6. ^ a b „Das kann jederzeit wieder passieren“, Frankfurter Allgemeine; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  7. ^ a b c "NRW-Opposition will Untersuchungsausschuss", Rheinische Post; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  8. ^ a b c d e Sascha Balasko. "Polizei ermittelt acht Tatverdächtige nach Übergriffen" (in German). Hamburger Abendblatt. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  9. ^ a b c d e f g "Erster Verdächtiger wegen Sexualstraftat in Köln in U-Haft", Die Welt; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  10. ^ a b c "Rund 1000 Silvester-Straftaten in vier NRW-Großstädten", Die Welt; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  11. ^ a b c "String of New Year's Eve sexual assaults outrages Cologne". Deutsche Welle. 4 January 2016. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  12. ^ a b "Cologne Police Chief Condemns Sex Assaults on New Year's Eve". The New York Times. Associated Press. 4 January 2016. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  13. ^ "Übergriffe in Silvesternacht: Asylbewerber unter Verdächtigen von Köln". Die Zeit (in German). 8 January 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  14. ^ a b "Verdächtige Männer hatten Sex-Spickzettel dabei", Die Welt; accessed 24 January 2016. Template:De icon.
  15. ^ Charlton, Corey; Mailonline, Imogen Calderwood For (6 January 2016). "Teenage victims of Cologne sex mob describe harrowing ordeal". Mail Online. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  16. ^ Stuttgarter Nachrichten, Stuttgart, Germany (5 January 2016). "Übergriff auf Frauen in Silvesternacht: Weitere mutmaßliche Opfer in Stuttgart - Stuttgart - Stuttgarter Nachrichten". stuttgarter-nachrichten.de.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: multiple names: authors list (link)
  17. ^ a b Hunderte sollen Bielefelder Disco attackiert haben, Die Welt.Template:De icon
  18. ^ a b RP ONLINE. "Bielefeld: Junge Frauen durch Antanztrick sexuell belästigt". RP ONLINE.
  19. ^ RP ONLINE. "Düsseldorf - Mehr Fälle von sexueller Belästigung: 41 Anzeigen". RP ONLINE (in German).
  20. ^ a b c d "Germany Shocked by Cologne New Year Gang Assaults on Women" (5 January 2016). BBC News; retrieved 7 January 2016.
  21. ^ a b "Polizei identifiziert nach Kölner Übergriffen weitere Verdächtige". Die Welt. 8 January 2016. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  22. ^ a b c d e f Kölner Silvesternacht: Polizei geht nicht von Absprachen unter Tätern aus, Der Spiegel.Template:De icon
  23. ^ a b "Übergriffe an Silvester in Köln: Das wissen die Ermittler über die Tatverdächtigen". DIE WELT. 11 January 2016.
  24. ^ a b c "Jetzt 553 Strafanzeigen in Köln - 23 Verdächtige bekannt", Süddeutsche Zeitung; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  25. ^ a b "Silence on sex crimes will make racism worse", TheLocal.de, 5 January 2016.
  26. ^ a b c "Cover-up claim over NYE mass sexual assaults". The Local. 4 January 2016. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  27. ^ a b "Polizei hat nach Übergriffen keine Erkenntnisse über Täter", Die Zeit; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  28. ^ a b Kate Connolly (6 January 2016). "Tensions rise in Germany over handling of mass sexual assaults in Cologne". The Guardian. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  29. ^ "POL-K: 160102-1-K Übergriffe am Bahnhofsvorplatz - Ermittlungsgruppe gegründet". presseportal.de (in German). Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  30. ^ "Täter packte Zivilpolizistin in die Hose", Rheinische Post; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  31. ^ "Man hatte ihr den Slip vom Körper gerissen", N24; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  32. ^ "Amerikanerin in Köln: Syrische Männer schützten mich", Süddeutsche Zeitung; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  33. ^ "„Das Ganze scheint abgesprochen gewesen zu sein", Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  34. ^ a b c d e "Germany shocked by Cologne New Year gang assaults on women". Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  35. ^ "German police search for 1,000 men after mass sexual assault in Cologne". Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  36. ^ "Köln und die Medien - Bitte bei den Fakten bleiben". Cicero Online (in German). Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  37. ^ a b c d e "Die meisten waren frisch eingereiste Asylbewerber", Die Welt; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  38. ^ "Vorrangig ging es den Tätern um Sexualstraftaten", Die Welt; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  39. ^ Übergriffe an Silvester: Auch Flüchtlinge unter Verdächtigen in Köln, Der Spiegel; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  40. ^ a b "Silvesternacht in Köln: Ermittler orten gestohlene Handys in Flüchtlingsheimen", Der Spiegel; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  41. ^ a b Interner Polizeibericht zu Kölner Silvesternacht: "Es waren einfach zu viele zur gleichen Zeit", Der Spiegel; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  42. ^ Als meine Freundin hinfiel, haben sich direkt vier Männer auf sie gestürzt, Focus.de; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  43. ^ So erklärt die Polizei 200 neue Strafanzeigen, Die Welt, in German
  44. ^ a b "Übergriffe in Köln: Zahl der Anzeigen steigt auf mehr als 650", Der Spiegel; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  45. ^ "Was wir über Köln wissen", Tagesschau; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  46. ^ a b "Übergriffe in Köln: Staatsanwaltschaft setzt 10.000 Euro Belohnung aus", Der Spiegel; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  47. ^ a b "Straftaten, Verdächtige: NRW-Innenminister Jäger legt die wahren Zahlen vor", Focus; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  48. ^ "Anzeigen gegen Kölner Polizei eingegangen", n-tv; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  49. ^ a b c d "Police investigate organized crime ring's links to Cologne attacks". Deutsche Presse-Agentur. 6 January 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  50. ^ Schon 53 Anzeigen in Hamburg nach Silvester-Übergriffen - Abendblatt.de, Hamburger Abendblatt, man
  51. ^ "New Year sex attacks in Frankfurt, police say". The Local. 6 January 2016. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  52. ^ Hamburgs Nacht der Schande und das lange Schweigen, Hamburger Abendblatt; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  53. ^ a b 108 Anzeigen in Hamburg, 41 Anzeigen in Düsseldorf, Deutschlandfunk, in German
  54. ^ Daniel Herder. "Schülerin geküsst – warum der Verdächtige noch frei ist" (in German). Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  55. ^ a b Silvester-Übergriffe: Polizei sucht nach diesen Verdächtigen, Hamburger Abendblatt, in German
  56. ^ a b c d "Erster Tatverdächtiger nach Silvester-Übergriffen in Haft", Hamburger Abendblatt; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  57. ^ a b c d e f "Eine Menge Angst", Die Zeit; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  58. ^ a b Olaf Scholz, "Kriminelle Flüchtlinge schneller abschieben", Hamburger Abendblatt; accessed 24 January 2016. Template:De icon
  59. ^ Geli Tangermann (14 January 2016). "Nach Silvester-Attacken: Reeperbahn-Bosse schicken Türsteher auf Streife". Die Welt (in German). Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  60. ^ a b c d "Cologne sex attacks: Merkel disgust at New Year gang assaults". BBC News. 5 January 2016. Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  61. ^ a b c "Weitere Anzeigen nach Silvesternacht", Frankfurter Rundschau; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  62. ^ a b c "Hatten die Taten System?", Frankfurter Allgemeine; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  63. ^ Dortmunder Polizei sucht Zeugen und Videos, WDR; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  64. ^ "Silvester: Sexuelle Belästigungen auch in Dortmund", Ruhr Nachrichten; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  65. ^ "Erschreckender Bericht eines Türstehers zu den Silvestervorgängen", Neue Westfälische; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  66. ^ a b "New Year's Eve sex assaults also reported in Finland, [Switzerland] and Austria". news.com.au. News Corp Australia Network. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  67. ^ "Swedish women report being groped by men on New Year's Eve". The Globe and Mail. The Globe and Mail, Inc. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  68. ^ a b c "Twitter storm as Cologne mayor suggests women stay at 'arm's length' from strangers". Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  69. ^ "Germany sex assaults could be linked to criminal gang". Cologne, Germany: CBS News. Associated Press. 6 January 2016. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  70. ^ "Das Protokoll zur Kölner Chaos-Nacht zum Nachlesen", Die Welt; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  71. ^ "Cologne sex attacks: Police chief Wolfgang Albers 'sacked' following heavy criticism". Retrieved 12 January 2016.
  72. ^ "Einsatz in der Silvesternacht: Kölns Polizeipräsident in einstweiligen Ruhestand versetzt", Der Spiegel; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  73. ^ a b c Martin Lutz (10 January 2016). "Sexuelle Belästigung: Das Phänomen "taharrush gamea" ist in Deutschland angekommen". Die Welt (in German). Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  74. ^ a b "Das verschwieg uns die Kölner Polizei", Bild; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  75. ^ "Übergriffe an Silvester: Kölner Polizei nimmt zwei Verdächtige fest". Der Spiegel. 8 January 2016. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  76. ^ "Festgenommene wieder auf freiem Fuß" (in German). Westdeutscher Rundfunk. 10 January 2016. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  77. ^ Troianovski, Anton (8 January 2016). "Germany Says Asylum Seekers Among Suspects in Cologne New Year's Eve Assaults". New York Times. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  78. ^ "Cologne attackers were of migrant origin - minister". BBC News. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  79. ^ "Bericht des Ministeriums für Inneres und Kommunales über die Übergriffe am Hauptbahnhof Köln in der Silvesternacht", mik.nrw.de; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  80. ^ „Ich nehme nicht an, dass die Täter verurteilt werden können“, Frankfurter Allgemeine; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  81. ^ "Mayor of Cologne says women should have code of conduct to prevent future assault". Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  82. ^ citation (starting 16: 16): es ist immer eine Möglichkeit, eine gewisse Distanz zu halten, die weiter als eine Armlänge betrifft - also von sich aus schon gar nicht eine große Nähe zu suchen zu Menschen, die einem fremd sind; zu denen man kein gutes Vertrauensverhältnis hat Video (German)
  83. ^ "Cologne sex attacks 'require police rethink'". BBC.com. 7 January 2016. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  84. ^ "De Maizière übt massive Kritik an Kölner Sicherheitskonzept". Süddeutsche Zeitung. 5 January 2016. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  85. ^ "Hannelore Kraft verteidigt Innenminister Jäger". Die Zeit. 12 January 2016. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  86. ^ "Wieder hundert neue Anzeigen", Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  87. ^ "CDU-Generalsekretär Tauber legt Jäger Rücktritt nahe", Süddeutsche Zeitung; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  88. ^ "Polizei hat Reker nicht mangelhaft informiert", Die Welt; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  89. ^ "Jäger informierte Kraft erst Tage nach Köln-Exzess", Die Welt; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  90. ^ a b "Cologne sex attacks: Women protest against assaults by gangs". Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  91. ^ "Die selbsternannten Aufpasser von Düsseldorf", Frankfurter Allgemeine; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  92. ^ a b "Deutsche decken sich massenhaft mit Pfefferspray ein", Die Welt; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  93. ^ "Leverkusen/Köln:Zahl der Waffenschein-Anträge explodiert", rp-online.de; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  94. ^ Zeitung, Badische. "Deutsches Waffenrecht: 45 Millionen Waffen sind im Umlauf - badische-zeitung.de". badische-zeitung.de (in German). Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  95. ^ http://news.nationalpost.com/news/angela-merkel-says-germany-has-lost-control-of-the-refugee-crisis-amid-public-anger-over-cologne-sex-attacks. Retrieved 24 January 2016. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  96. ^ http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/germany/12092354/Cologne-sex-attacks-New-Years-Eve-cases-rise-to-more-than-500.html. Retrieved 24 January 2016. {{cite news}}: Missing or empty |title= (help)
  97. ^ "German protesters: 'Rapefugees not welcome'". KSAT-TV. Retrieved 17 January 2016.
  98. ^ ""Rapefugees not welcome": Pegida-Chef wegen Volksverhetzung angezeigt". n-tv.de (in German). Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  99. ^ "Germans shaken by New Year attacks on women in Cologne". Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  100. ^ Staff (8 January 2016). "Köln: Sigmar Gabriel fordert schnellere Abschiebungen". SPIEGEL ONLINE (in German).
  101. ^ "Mob ruft zur Jagd auf nicht weiße Menschen auf", Die Welt; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  102. ^ a b c d e Hewitt, Gavin (11 January 2016). "Cologne attacks' profound impact on Europe". BBC News. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  103. ^ "CDU pocht auf schärfere Gesetze", Tagesschau; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  104. ^ "Papier rechnet mit deutscher Flüchtlingspolitik ab", Die Welt; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  105. ^ "Die Kanzlerin wird sich korrigieren müssen", Die Welt; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  106. ^ "Realität ignoriert, keinen Plan": Kritik an Merkels Flüchtlingspolitik, Die Welt; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  107. ^ "Ex-Kanzler Schröder wirft Merkel Planlosigkeit vor", Die Welt; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  108. ^ "Schäuble will Autofahrer in Asylkrise zur Kasse bitten", Die Welt; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  109. ^ "Alternative für Deutschland laut Umfrage drittstärkste Kraft im Bund". DIE WELT (in German). 15 January 2016.
  110. ^ "Flüchtlingskrise: Merkel stürzt ab", heute.de; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  111. ^ "Union sackt auf Allzeittief – AfD mit neuem Rekord", Die Welt; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  112. ^ a b c d "Dobrindt spricht von einem Pakt gegen Deutschland", Die Welt; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  113. ^ "Abgelehnte Asylbewerber: Gabriel droht Marokko und Algerien mit Kürzung der Gelder", Der Spiegel; accessed 24 December 2016.Template:De icon
  114. ^ a b c Nach umstrittendem "Kommentar: Beck stellt Strafanzeige gegen Kölner Imam", Leipziger Volkszeitung; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  115. ^ "In den Sozialen Netzwerken sind die... - Hans-Peter Friedrich | Facebook". facebook.com. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  116. ^ Scheer, Ursula (5 January 2016). "Übergriffe in Köln Eine Männergruppe und ihr Hintergrund". Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in German). ISSN 0174-4909. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  117. ^ "'Cover-up' over Cologne sex assaults blamed on migration sensitivities". Telegraph.co.uk. 6 January 2016. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  118. ^ Köcher, Renate (16 December 2015). "Allensbach-Studie Mehrheit fühlt sich über Flüchtlinge einseitig informiert". Frankfurter Allgemeine Zeitung (in German). ISSN 0174-4909. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
  119. ^ "Reports of New Year's Eve sex assaults in Cologne fuel German migrant debate". Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  120. ^ "Cover-up claim over NYE mass sexual assaults". Retrieved 5 January 2016.
  121. ^ Natasha Lennard & Lukas Hermsmeier, "Germany's bad answer to the Cologne attacks", america.aljazeera.com; accessed 24 January 2016.
  122. ^ "Germany on the Brink". The New York Times. 10 January 2016.
  123. ^ Der ohnmächtige Staat, Neue Zürcher Zeitung, in German
  124. ^ "Was Europa von der deutschen Willkommenskultur hält", Die Welt; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  125. ^ Federico Geremicca, "L'effetto Colonia condiziona Palazzo Chigi", lastampa.it, 9 January 2016 (in Italian)
  126. ^ "Online-Hetze gegen Selina" (in German). SWR. 12 January 2016. Retrieved 14 January 2016. {{cite news}}: Unknown parameter |trans_title= ignored (|trans-title= suggested) (help)
  127. ^ Ross, Eleanor (7 January 2016). "Tourists cancel trips to Cologne fearing 'life and limb' after claims of 1,000 men attacking 100 women on New Year's Eve". The Independent. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  128. ^ a b Europe in crisis over sex attacks by migrants amid calls for emergency EU meeting The Telegraph 09.01.16
  129. ^ a b After Cologne, Slovakian PM Fico seeks emergency EU summit Deutsche Welle 08.01.16
  130. ^ "Pope urges Europe to find balance between security and refugee plight". The Washington Post. 11 January 2016. Retrieved 11 January 2016.
  131. ^ Pieters, Janene (6 January 2016). "DUTCH CABINET, MPS ANGERED BY COLOGNE MAYOR'S MASS SEX ASSAULT REMARKS". NL Times. Retrieved 10 January 2016.
  132. ^ "Spotkanie Kaczyński Orban w Zielonej Owieczce i ataki w Kolonii - Polska - Newsweek.pl". Newsweek.pl.
  133. ^ "Wyborcza.pl".
  134. ^ "Wyborcza.pl".
  135. ^ "Unprecedented sex harassment in Helsinki at New Year, Finnish police report". Telegraph.co.uk. 8 January 2016.
  136. ^ "Unprecedented sex harassment in Helsinki at New Year: police - Yahoo News". News.yahoo.com. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  137. ^ Kirsi, Katri (7 January 2016). "KRP:n tutkinnanjohtaja: Suomessa ei suunniteltu vastaavaa kuin Kölnissä". YLE. Retrieved 8 January 2016.
  138. ^ "Poliisi varautui uuden vuoden häirintään tehostetusti - kaikista ahdisteluyrityksistä tulee ilmoittaa poliisille". Poliisi. 7 January 2016. Retrieved 7 January 2016.
  139. ^ "Gäng ofredade kvinnor på nyår i Malmö". Sydsvenskan.
  140. ^ "Det var som om djungelns lag rådde på Knutpunkten". Sydsvenskan.
  141. ^ "Grupper av yngre män misstänks ha ofredat flickor". Sveriges Radio.
  142. ^ "Två misstänkta för Kalmarofredande". Sydsvenskan.
  143. ^ "Swedish Police, Accused of Cover-Up, Look Into Reports of Sex Assault at Festival". The New York Times. 12 January 2016.
  144. ^ "80 sexual assaults in one day – the other story of Tahrir Square". theguardian.com. Retrieved 11 January 2016. {{cite web}}: |first= missing |last= (help)
  145. ^ "Plötzlich spürte ich eine Hand an meinem Po", Welt.de, 4 January 2016; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  146. ^ "Mit hartem Vorgehen gegen die Täter fängt die Gegenwehr erst an", Berliner Zeitung, 4 January 2016; accessed 24 January 2016.Template:De icon
  147. ^ "Frauen berichten EMMA vom Terror", Emma, 4 January 2016.Template:De icon
  148. ^ Staff (11 January 2016). "Cologne attackers were of migrant origin - minister". BBC News. BBC. Retrieved 24 January 2016.
Retrieved from "https://en.wikipedia.org/enwiki/w/index.php?title=2015–16_New_Year%27s_Eve_sexual_assaults_in_Germany&oldid=701694769"