Cologne attacks: mayor lambasted for telling women to keep men at arm's length

[Boiler 45,670]

Cologne’s mayor has been widely criticised for suggesting that women “keep at an arm’s length” from strangers to avoid sexual harassment, after scores of women were sexually abused and mugged in the city during new year celebrations.

Cologne inquiry into 'coordinated' New Year's Eve sex attacks

Asked by a journalist how women could protect themselves, Henriette Reker said: “There’s always the possibility of keeping a certain distance of more than an arm’s length – that is to say to make sure yourself you don’t look to be too close to people who are not known to you, and to whom you don’t have a trusting relationship”.

The remarks came at a press conference at which Reker made her first public comments about the incidents on New Year’s Eve. About 90 women made complaints to police, many relating to sexual assault. Many reported having been surrounded by groups of drunk and aggressive men of north African or Arabic appearance who harassed and mugged them. One woman is believed to have been raped.

A police spokesman described the events as “a new dimension in crime”. About 1,000 men were gathered on the square in front of the city’s main station on Thursday night, although only a small number of them are believed to have been involved in the attacks.

Protesters march through Cologne to demand action after the New Year’s Eve attacks
Reker also advised women to “stick together in groups, don’t get split up, even if you’re in a party mood”.

Journalists at the press conference said the mayor had reacted with surprise to the initial question and her struggle for an answer demonstrated the extent to which it had caught her off guard.

Reker’s comments triggered outrage on social media. Reaction was trending under #einarmlaenge (an arm’s length).

Christopher Lauer, a politician, tweeted: “Man: “I had intended to mug this woman and molest her, but ! She’s an arm’s length away from me!”

Alexander Nabert, a journalist, wrote: “This thing about an arm’s length – is it a rule of thumb?”

Another Twitter user, Marie von den Benken, wrote: “Frau Reker, the thing about the one arm’s length sounds more like one brain cell.”

The New Year’s Eve attacks were only widely covered by national media early this week, after police had initially reported no major incidents.

The German public broadcaster, ZDF, on Wednesday apologised for delays in reporting on the wave of sexual assaults and deciding to postpone a news segment until Tuesday. “The news situation was clear enough. It was a mistake of the 7pm ‘heute’ show not to at least report the incidents,” wrote deputy chief editor Elmar Thevessen on the show’s Facebook page.

As the assaults have come to dominate German mainstream media, more women have come forward in Cologne and other cities about being groped and attacked on New Year’s Eve.

The number of criminal complaints in Cologne topped 100 by Wednesday.

Next month, Cologne will celebrate carnival season, when thousands go on to the streets. The police, who have admitted major errors in the way they managed the incidents, say they will modify the way they oversee the forthcoming celebrations, including introducing more mobile video cameras.

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/jan/06/cologne-attacks-mayor-women-keep-men-arms-length-germany

[lostinblue 1,989]

The German public broadcaster, ZDF, on Wednesday apologised for delays in reporting on the wave of sexual assaults and deciding to postpone a news segment until Tuesday. “The news situation was clear enough. It was a mistake of the 7pm ‘heute’ show not to at least report the incidents,” wrote deputy chief editor Elmar Thevessen on the show’s Facebook page.

I am sure face book was doing all it could to shut the population up when someone talked about so and so getting attacked that night ..... Cannot have any intolerance towards Islam can we.

Angela Merkel caught on hot mic griping to Facebook CEO over anti-immigrant posts

German Chancellor Angela Merkel confronted Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg in a conversation overheard at the UN about those using his social network to post hateful material.

Speaking to the European leader at a luncheon, Zuckerberg was heard saying 'we need to do some work' in reference to the German push against racist posts on the Internet.

'Are you working on this?' Merkel, pressed again.

Zuckerberg replied, 'yeah', before a speaker at the event on Saturday in New York made the rest of the conversation inaudible.

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3252209/Chancellor-Merkel-confronts-Facebook-s-Mark-Zuckerberg-anti-immigrant-hate-posts-country-seeks-fight-against-wave-arson-attacks-aimed-refugees.html

[ExPatty 502]

The left are going to be increasingly at odds with 1) their welcoming approach to mass immigration from certain countries that have systemic abuse of women as part of their laws and customs, and 2) their desire for better rights and conditions for women. Middle Eastern cultures have a decidedly less respectful view to women than the west, so the fact that men from those countries are disproportionately involved in rapes shouldn't come as a surprise to anybody. Women are to be subservient and often serving little effect beyond serving the needs of the man and acting as his de facto property. Just because a guy from Iraq is now in Germany it doesn't suddenly change his views on women.

Edited January 6, 2016 by ExPatty

[Darnell 8,478]

Migrants ! Well, financial migrants, surely.

This is a great opportunity for a Chinese company to come in and sell hoverboards... err. sorry - to sell stun devices into the local shops. Lemme call up one of my buddies... Carnival Season is a great sales window, you betcha ! And the NYE 'celebration' already made the 'need'. Stellar !

Edited January 6, 2016 by Darnell

[Boiler 45,670]

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35241808

[Darnell 8,478]

http://www.bbc.com/news/world-europe-35241808

Thanks for that, Boiler.

Just finished reading that content from that link.

My only real opinion, after reading it, is:

Wow - NYC got six thousand cops together for work during NYE, why Cologne not get at least two thousand?

I think we need to wait for the Sharia Council in Cologne to make a statement, and soon !

[Merrytooth 5,748]

Thanks for that, Boiler.

Just finished reading that content from that link.

My only real opinion, after reading it, is:

Wow - NYC got six thousand cops together for work during NYE, why Cologne not get at least two thousand?

I think we need to wait for the Sharia Council in Cologne to make a statement, and soon !

lol... The Sharia Council will probably blame the western women for dressing provocatively and causing the men to lose self-control.

Maybe the women in Europe should start wearing hijab soonish.

[ExPatty 502]

I think we need to wait for the Sharia Council in Cologne to make a statement, and soon !

So far we have this:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-3386673/Women-Cologne-lockdown-council-admits-no-longer-safe-wake-African-Arab-mob-s-rapes-declares-upcoming-carnival-no-area-females.html

Scroll down to the section "Lamya Kaddor, president of the Liberal Islamic Association".

Basically, this is not the fault of the 1000 men who did it, but that the police allowed it to happen. And also the police need more people from migrant backgrounds for some reason.

Incredible stuff. Europe continues to fiddle as it burns. We are seeing a sublime example of what essentially unchecked immigration can do to a nation, not just in Germany, but in France, Sweden, elsewhere. I am most grateful that the US is not within walking distance of the middle east.

Edited January 6, 2016 by ExPatty

[Darnell 8,478]

is it the middle east or North Africa ? I thought the better financial migration place, for middle east folks, was Qatar and Saudi Arabia, there's jobs, money, hostels and common language with same religious values.

Did I miss something?

[Boiler 45,670]

is it the middle east or North Africa ? I thought the better financial migration place, for middle east folks, was Qatar and Saudi Arabia, there's jobs, money, hostels and common language with same religious values.

Did I miss something?

Yes you did.

The Middle East countries seem to think otherwise.. Surprising as they are all highly qualified professionals and small cute children.

[OnMyWayID 1,489]

I watched some of the phone videos the men made.. Basically they would gather in a group around celebrating crowds and throw fireworks into the middle of the crowd. When the fireworks went off a people would scream and run off and they would laugh - if a few women ran in a direction by themselves a group of the men would spit off and go after them and the rest would continue to throw fireworks.

Hey what's the problem? learn to assimilate to your new normal

[Darnell 8,478]

geez. Why the Imams there not hold mandatory 'culture assimilation' meetings for these new financial migrants? Sheesh !

So now I can _blame_ the Sharia Council of Cologne - it's all their fault ! Boo !

[Boiler 45,670]

geez. Why the Imams there not hold mandatory 'culture assimilation' meetings for these new financial migrants? Sheesh !

So now I can _blame_ the Sharia Council of Cologne - it's all their fault ! Boo !

Don't you mean the Germans should be taking the class?

Obvious unfamiliar with the tenants of the Religion of Peace.

[Darnell 8,478]

No, I not mean for any Germans to be taking the class.

Germans might be giving the class, if the Sharia Council of Cologne actually sets it up properly.

[Boiler 45,670]

No, I not mean for any Germans to be taking the class.

Germans might be giving the class, if the Sharia Council of Cologne actually sets it up properly.

Makes you wonder why the Mayor has not done this already?

Dereliction of duty?