‘1,000 men’ raped, robbed, and groped women on New Year's Eve in Cologne

About 90 women have reported being robbed, threatened or sexually molested at the New Year’s celebrations outside Cologne’s cathedral by young, mostly drunk, men, police said. One woman said she was raped.

Police and witnesses have said about 1,000 men, split into groups, attacked women in the square.

Some witnesses said the men were of North African appearance, stirring strong emotions in Germany, where Chancellor Angela Merkel has welcomed people fleeing war zones in the Middle East and Africa.