Cologne, Germany: New Year's Eve Chaos

On New Year's Eve 2015, hundreds of women were sexually assaulted and robbed in Cologne, Germany, by a group of men initially estimated to number more than 1,000. The perpetrators were described by police and witnesses as being of Arab or North African origin, with two-thirds of the 153 identified suspects in Cologne found to be from Morocco or Algeria. The attacks led to a wave of criticism aimed at the German government's refugee policies, with far-right groups in particular using the incident to stoke anti-immigrant sentiment.

A large group of men, estimated to be around 1,000, gathered at Cologne's central train station on New Year's Eve

On New Year's Eve in 2015, a large group of men, estimated to be around 1,000, gathered at Cologne's central train station. The square was packed with young men, most of them from the North African-Arabic region, and an atmosphere of aggression and lawlessness quickly developed. Fireworks were pointed at people, passers-by were harassed, and cellphones and wallets were stolen.

The police were caught off guard and overwhelmed by the situation. They were understaffed and unable to prevent the chaos from escalating. The situation soon escalated, with groups of men cornering and sexually assaulting women. The German Chancellor, Angela Merkel, described the scenes as "abominable", and the events were labelled a night of shame by the media.

The police turned out in greater numbers in Cologne the following New Year's Eve, and safety plans were revised. However, the response from the authorities was criticised as being too slow and ineffective, with only a small number of convictions resulting from the incident.

The men were described as being of Arab or North African origin

On New Year's Eve 2015, hundreds of women were sexually assaulted during celebrations in the German city of Cologne. The perpetrators were described by victims and witnesses as being of Arab or North African origin.

The night began with a crowd of about a thousand young men assembling in the square in front of the central railway station, next to the city's landmark Gothic cathedral. The atmosphere was aggressive, with fireworks being pointed at people, passers-by being harassed, and cellphones and wallets being stolen. The situation escalated, with packs of men cornering and hunting down women, resulting in sexual assaults and rapes.

The Cologne police chief described the assailants as "Arab or North African" in appearance, and this characterization shaped the public reaction to the events. However, it was difficult for the police to pinpoint exactly who was involved, and there was also speculation that Germans of North African descent or the children of guest workers could fit the descriptions given by witnesses.

The events in Cologne triggered a worldwide media response and fueled the ongoing debate about migration policy and how to live together in a pluralistic society in Germany. It also led to a tightening of laws covering the right to asylum and sexual offenses, and it caused a chillier climate for refugees, with an increase in crimes committed against asylum seekers and their homes.

The investigation into the attacks is ongoing, and the full truth may never be known due to a lack of evidence. However, it is clear that the anti-refugee sentiment that emerged in Germany after the New Year's Eve attacks constituted a turning point in the debate, revealing a strong undercurrent of fear and ignorance beneath the surface of German society.

Women reported being groped, assaulted, and robbed

The women who were attacked in Cologne on New Year's Eve reported being groped, assaulted, and robbed by groups of men. The attacks were described as "abominable" by German Chancellor Angela Merkel. Women reported being tightly surrounded by groups of men who groped them, stole their belongings, and in some cases, raped them. One woman, identified as Katja L, described her experience:

> When we came out of the station, we were very surprised by the group we met, which was made up only of foreign men... We walked through the group of men, there was a tunnel through them, we walked through... I was groped everywhere. It was a nightmare. Although we shouted and hit them, the men didn't stop. I was horrified and I think I was touched about 100 times over 200 meters.

Another woman, Kirsten, described her experience:

> First, I felt something on my buttocks, and I thought, What's that? I tried to push it away, and then I realized it was a hand. But it was so crowded, I couldn't even tell who was touching me. A few minutes later, the same thing happened again, but this time, a hand touched me right on the genitals. It wasn't accidental. It went under my skirt, and that was deliberate. Somebody really groped me.

Kirsten further described the powerlessness she felt during the attack:

> Kirsten tried to move, but she could barely raise her elbows, much less get her phone out of her purse. Around her, young men – according to Kirsten, they looked like “refugees who’d just arrived in Germany” – were giving her “dirty looks that were obviously sexually intended.” Kirsten started sweating profusely. She could see police on the stairs but had no way of reaching them.

The attacks had a significant impact on the victims, leaving them feeling scared and traumatized. Kirsten, for example, said:

> I still feel fear every time I see a young refugee. Not that I’m terrified, but the thoughts are there.

The attacks also had a broader impact on German society, triggering a nationwide debate about migration policy, multiculturalism, and the country's open-door policy towards refugees. The events also led to a tightening of asylum and sexual assault laws in Germany, with Merkel pushing for legislation to make it easier to deport asylum seekers who are convicted of crimes.

The German police faced criticism for their slow response to the attacks and for failing to prevent them

The police were heavily criticised for their initial announcement that the night had been "largely peaceful", which was later retracted. There was also a delay in disclosing the full scale of the crime and chaos, with victims accusing the police of ignoring their claims. The police chief, Wolfgang Albers, stated that victims were slow to file complaints, but this was disputed by those affected.

The police's ability to respond was hampered by a lack of officers, with reports suggesting they were surprised and overwhelmed by the situation. There was also confusion over jurisdiction between the State Police of North Rhine-Westphalia and the Federal Police, which created challenges in maintaining order.

The police's handling of the incident led to a parliamentary inquiry, which found that officers could have intervened faster and prevented many of the alleged robberies and sexual assaults. As a result of the incident, safety plans were revised, and police training was adapted to meet the demands of similar situations in the future.

The events sparked a broader debate about migration policy and multiculturalism in Germany

The events of New Year's Eve 2015 in Cologne had far-reaching repercussions throughout Germany, sparking a broader debate about migration policy and multiculturalism. The incident led to a "paradigm shift in society", with many people who had previously supported the welcoming culture for refugees now fearful. This shift was particularly notable in refugee homes, where volunteers had been helping to advance social work and integration.

The attacks also brought to the fore the long-running debate about how to live together in a pluralistic society. Citizens who had previously had no concerns felt a newfound need for security, with sales of alarm pistols, pepper spray and tear gas soaring to record levels. The far-right populist party Alternative for Germany (AfD) was among the beneficiaries of these developments, using people's reservations, fear and anger to gain votes.

As a result of the incident, Germany tightened its laws on asylum and made it easier to deport foreigners who committed crimes. The principle of "no means no" was applied to sexual offences, and a sexual act would now be considered rape even if the victim did not actively try to defend themselves. If sexual crimes were committed in a group, all participants in that group would be liable for prosecution.

The media also came under scrutiny, accused of being too hesitant to report on the foreign citizenship of the suspects. The press council changed its guidelines, stating that information on a suspect's country of origin or migration background could be reported "if there is a justified public interest".

The events in Cologne also had an impact on Germany's migrant policy. Chancellor Angela Merkel pushed for a law to make it easier to deport asylum-seekers who are convicted of crimes, while maintaining that Germany would be able to handle the planned volume of incoming refugees.

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