Mass sexual assaults in Cologne on New Years Eve

[Cellardoor1]

I've just read this and I'm shocked that such a thing could happen. A group of around 1,000 men gathered and assaulted at least 60 women and girls and also pickpocketed people. Apparently the news wasn't released until now out of fears it could stir up tension as the men appeared to be of Arab/North African appearance, possibly refugees.

abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/cologne-police-chief-condemns-sex-assaults-years-eve-36083833

Whatsthematter that photo is chilling knowing what was happening - that's not an unruly mob out of control, that's a very large group of men waiting patiently for the purpose of carrying out calculated attacks on women.

I hadn't heard about this at all, and the advice to women to avoid areas/change their behaviour is disgusting. This is all about putting women back in their place, make them fearful of walking around independently and dressing how they choose. This is men using mob rule to 're-educate' women. Stay at home and this won't happen to you . Where were the police? Surely station staff must have alerted them to the large numbers/danger?

This thread is heartening in its (almost) blanket condemnation of the assaults and the ability of posters to grasp the basic idea that it's a cultural and sexual, not a racist issue.

There were, according to friends who were there near the Cathedral, no large groups of females of N African or ME appearance.

Hopefully that will shut down the dangerous knee-jerk reaction that this debate is remotely racist.

I believe, sadly, that the message of 'open arms' has backfired spectacularly.

Europe reminds me of laid-back cool-signalling parents allowing their kids to have anyone round for a party. They've now come home to total devastation and are trying to get their heads round the fact that inviting complete strangers into their house does not automatically guarantee that they will respect it or even know how to handle such unknown freedom.

If they'd stuck around, or laid down firm ground rules and consequences, made a few examples of those who behaved inappropriately, then they would be taken seriously.

It's their kids who are clearing up and the others get away scot free.

Possibly a clumsy analogy, but the writing has been on the wall for a long time.

And those of us with empirical experience of those other cultures have long been pilloried and silenced as 'racists.'

Yes I really don't understand why there doesn't seem to be a police presence.

Personally I think able bodied men who leave the home country alone , therefore leaving mother sisters wives and children behind to face the bombing, may be refugees but they are also sexist cowards. Any man of any moral worth would want to bring his family. Or to stay and protect them.

Also, what with at least half a million able bodied men crossing the seas and land to Europe, the Trojan Horse comes to mind. What are these men actually doing away from their countries? What is in their minds? What country can provide gainful employment to so many? Some of them in the picture look half starved. Why did they congregate at the station? Was it really in the hope of taking advantage of half drunk women or was it warmth and shelter? Or were they hoping to get a train somewhere else? Or was there some other more sinister motive. The trouble is that a mob once formed is very difficult to control. This mob may have dispersed in reality now but still has a virtual existence I'm guessing.

Do you really think the aim is to terrorise European society into depriving women of freedom? I hadnt really thought of that.

Very well said Olive, not a clumsy analogy at all. You speak a lot of plain common sense, something our politicians seem to lack in favour of appeasing these monsters.

Sky news are reporting a suspicious package discovered in Angela Merkels office, cant say I'm surprised.

Sorry but where are the videos of women getting harassed? All I've seen are bunches of teens in small groups letting off fireworks.

This is clearly a massive violation of the right of women to go about their business on the streets of a German city without fear of sexual assault. The police failed in their duty to protect the public and prevent crime. The shock to German society is palpable and women will be fearful about going on to the streets at night.

What will be lost sight of here is that a mob of MEN sexually assaulted women. The focus seems to be on their ethnicity which is not the important issue. It doesn't matter what their ethnicity is but the politics of this will be all about immigration and not about the way women are being treated in German society. It will fuel ethnic tension and increase hatred of immigrants. It will be used by those who oppose immigration. The voice of women will not be heard.

Looking at the responses on various websites and news feeds I strongly suspect the true facts are being lost and that the focus on the ethnicity of the perpetrators is a smokescreen for the real issue.

First it seems there were about 400 men, the ethnicity of the men was likely highly mixed and almost certainly not that of recent immigrants.

What I also suspect is this 'mob' was organised via the internet and social media and that the origins will be there. The 'mob' reminds me a lot of the steaming attacks on the London tube that used to occur with some regularity. I suspect it will happen again and that t may spread to other countries in Europe.

There was probably a hard core of organised petty criminals within the mob who were intent on pickpocketing and snatching bags and that was the initial objective. It then morphed into sexual assaults once the mob realised the police were powerless or not responding. It is much more complex than a random mob of 1000 Middle Eastern/N African men randomly attacking women on NYE.

Would you be whipping out your phone and videoing if you were caught up in that? Surely that might be risky?

mimishimmi are you saying you don't believe it happened?

As well as the obvious reason - that these women were being sexually assaulted at the time - they were also robbed of their phones and other valuables afterwards

There is now a discussion on a German parenting forum where I'm a member that we shouldn't discuss this incident because we rarely ever discuss domestic violence there. It was started by someone posting a FB comment by some, I guess, Turkish woman. Honestly, I despair when I read this, the loudest of the posters calls herself a feminist a lot.

funnyperson that is one of their aims, yes. I saw a video where they refer to German women as 'your women'.
This mindset is what lies at the heart of this kind of assault. Women are not seen as human beings in their own right but as property of their husbands/male relatives. That is why so much rape happens during war. It's not really about the women who are raped , it's to assert dominance over the male population who are unable to protect 'their women'.
Essentially these people are taking the piss out of the German people. That's why this behaviour needs to be clamped down on immediately to show it's not going to be tolerated.
If the authorities don't act quickly and firmly then personally I think race violence will result because the right wing groups will see it for what it is.

"it's a cultural and sexual, not a racist issue."

Very well put, I couldn't agree more.

"Sorry but where are the videos of women getting harassed? All I've seen are bunches of teens in small groups letting off fireworks."

How do you reckon these videos should have been recorded? And by whom? By the women whose knickers and tights were ripped off? By those who were groped 100 X by dozens of dirty hands?

Get real mimi. What would you have done faced with being stuck between going back up the rolling escalator to the platform (with no other way out then waiting for the next incoming train) and between a horde of testesterone ridden males. The photos is chilling.

I cannot believe that masses of people are allowed to gather on a Deutsche Bahn train station. Does anyone know how this works? Is DB private or public?

I don't want to be silly speculating but the men on the picture do not look North African to me. They look like they are from Albania, Kosovo etc. What do other think?

It is much more complex than a random mob of 1000 Middle Eastern/N African men randomly attacking women on NYE.

My post of pages ago suggesting that this kind of thing would more than likely be the work of an ISIS type group was ignored.

They want to create instability. They don't want people to welcome refugees. They want there to be a them and us mentality and if the good people of the west aren't getting 'all anti' quickly enough for our liking then we'll orchestrate something that will make you move a bit faster.

It's obviously a complete policing failure. There us no way crowds like that would be allowed at any station in the UK without significant police presence, CCTV. Particularly as we are at heightened terror threat.

As fur the ethnicity of the men involved - I hope we find out more about this particularly whether it was organised or opportunistic.

Whatever, the cologne authorities need to have a serious look at how they manage these events to that women and children can move freely and enjoy themselves without sexual assault (I can't believe I even have to type that)

www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-europe-35239377

It's so infuriating that the people interviewed here were advising against being assaulted: don't get drunk, don't get isolated, do call for help.

As if any of those things would have stopped it.

"What will be lost sight of here is that a mob of MEN sexually assaulted women. The focus seems to be on their ethnicity which is not the important issue.But surely that is the core of the matter and should be the focus."

I disagree that ethnicity isn't an important factor but I do feel that the only time it feels acceptable to express outrage alongside "our" men about rape and sexual assault is when the perps are foreign. It feels comfortable because we're not seen to be blaming men as a whole but something other and getting "our" men onside if that makes any sense.

As for Isis - cool your jets. We need to wait for investigation

Re men from Albania and Kosovo, again I feel a bit silly speculating as it doesn't seem factual, so taking my though with a pinch of salt, the fact that pickpocketing and mugging were part of the assault makes me also think that this is done by people from Albania or Kosovo. I am told that people from these countries are known to conduct such crimes around the Dome.

sansoora would that also account for the sexual violence that is occuring within the camps as well?
I don't know. I just see a pattern that occurs wherever girls and women are outside without their male protectors ie functioning as independent human beings See Rotherham, etc. The extreme of rape culture.

hefzi I have another take on why Syrians are not sexual nuisances. I think it may be connected to the fact that Mrs Assad is British born to Syrian parents, and a significant portion of Syria is Christian.

Actually, their ethnicity is significant if it is a political tactic aimed at altering the behaviour of people in their host country. IF this was organised through religious leaders as a way of making a point that 'our' women are vulnerable due to their independent ways which should therefore be curtailed. Sickening. It's not racist to discuss the huge culture clash, or to be worried about women's freedom being curtailed by events like this.

On a side note, I really wish a horde of tazer - carrying women could descend on these men and make them see the error of their ways.

IF this was organised through religious leaders as a way of making a point that 'our' women are vulnerable due to their independent ways which should therefore be curtailed.

Its not that. Its nothing to do with independent ways. Its a battle of hearts and minds and these people will stir up hate whichever way they can. They had a chance the other night and they grabbed it with both hands. The same way they would bomb a rock concert. They used a different method of attack but an attack it most certainly was.

Have just logged in again this morning, and there have been ALOT of posts overnight! Thankfully most people recognising the impact that culture has in these attacks.

sansoora would that also account for the sexual violence that is occuring within the camps as well?

Noeffingidea, I think what goes on inside the camps is different. That's depravity.

This was something else altogether. And its worked if this thread is anything to go by.