There have been calls for Cologne's chief of police to quit after more than 100 New Year revellers were sexually assaulted, robbed or threatened during the city's celebrations.
Police initially failed to mention the assaults in their reports on New Year's Day and described the atmosphere in the city centre as "largely peaceful".
It has now been confirmed the alleged attacks happened when around 1,000 men - described as coming from "the Arab or North African region" - split into gangs after being dispersed by officers for throwing fireworks into the crowd of revellers.
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Cologne police chief Wolfgang Albers admitted mistakes were made in the report but insisted officers "did an exemplary job".
:: Cologne Mayor Under Fire Over Attacks Comment
However, the city's Express newspaper has called for Mr Albers to resign, saying: "The reputation of the Cologne police has taken a nationwide hit."
The northern port city of Hamburg said it had received 27 reports of similar attacks at New Year's street parties.
The incidents have 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.
The right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD), which has gained in polls following a campaign against refugees, said German Chancellor Angela Merkel should close the border.
AfD leader Frauke Petry tweeted: "Mrs Merkel, is Germany 'colourful and cosmopolitan' enough for you after the wave of crimes and sexual attacks?"
Elmar Brok, a German Member of the European Parliament from Ms Merkel's CDU party, told Sky News he feared the incidents would change the refugee debate.
"I fear they'll bring a new factor to the refugee debate," he said.
"It looks like it was a prepared thing.
"It's terrible and it will increase the feeling in many Germans that it's not a good place to be if too many people come."
Police initially failed to mention the assaults in their reports on New Year's Day and described the atmosphere in the city centre as "largely peaceful".
It has now been confirmed the alleged attacks happened when around 1,000 men - described as coming from "the Arab or North African region" - split into gangs after being dispersed by officers for throwing fireworks into the crowd of revellers.
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Cologne police chief Wolfgang Albers admitted mistakes were made in the report but insisted officers "did an exemplary job".
:: Cologne Mayor Under Fire Over Attacks Comment
However, the city's Express newspaper has called for Mr Albers to resign, saying: "The reputation of the Cologne police has taken a nationwide hit."
The northern port city of Hamburg said it had received 27 reports of similar attacks at New Year's street parties.
The incidents have 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.
The right-wing Alternative for Germany (AfD), which has gained in polls following a campaign against refugees, said German Chancellor Angela Merkel should close the border.
AfD leader Frauke Petry tweeted: "Mrs Merkel, is Germany 'colourful and cosmopolitan' enough for you after the wave of crimes and sexual attacks?"
Elmar Brok, a German Member of the European Parliament from Ms Merkel's CDU party, told Sky News he feared the incidents would change the refugee debate.
"I fear they'll bring a new factor to the refugee debate," he said.
"It looks like it was a prepared thing.
"It's terrible and it will increase the feeling in many Germans that it's not a good place to be if too many people come."
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