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Sexual assaults row leads to dismissal of police chief in Germany
[DAWN] Cologne's police chief was dismissed on Friday amid mounting criticism of his force's handling of a string of New Year's Eve sexual assaults and robberies.Wolfgang Abers had faced mounting criticism for the police's handling of the alleged New Year's Eve attacks on women by groups of men who were part of a larger crowd of some 1,000 described as being of "Arab or North African origin." Police initially failed to mention the attacks around Cologne's main station in their report the following morning, describing the New Year festivities as "largely peaceful". Albers acknowledged the mistake earlier this week, but dismissed widespread criticism that officers were overwhelmed and reacted too slowly in protecting the women. "When the situation became tense in front of the train station - there were a thousand men who were completely out of control - the police cleared the square," he had told public broadcaster ARD. "It was a difficult operation and the police did an exemplary job." Witnesses, however, told a different story. German media quoted dozens of women who said they were followed by groups of men who groped them, tried to pull off their clothes and stole valuables. Also read: Major report reveals 'extensive' abuse of women in EU An internal police report also widely published in German media on Thursday indicated strongly that police were overwhelmed and described how women had to run through mobs of drunken men outside Cologne's main train station. The state government of North Rhine-Westphalia on Friday said it was sending 60-year-old Wolfgang Albers into early retirement. The state's interior minister, Ralf Jaeger, said the move was "necessary to restore public trust and the Cologne police's ability to act, with a view to upcoming major events." It is pertinent to mention that Cologne's annual carnival is next month, and the government is on its toes to ensure such a situation may not arise again. Posted by: Fred 2016-01-09 |
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