Unknown men assault and injure migrants in Cologne

Groups of unknown assailants attacked and injured several migrants in Cologne on Sunday evening.

The first attack took place at around 6:40pm, when around 20 unidentified men assaulted six Pakistani migrants near the Cologne train station, the site of mass sexual assaults on women on New Year’s Eve. Two suffered injuries, were hospitalised and were later released, according to the police.

At around 7pm, five people assaulted and injured a 39-year-old Syrian in a different location.  

German media report that it is as yet unclear whether the two assaults were coordinated. However, before the attacks, a group of local football fans and doormen had reportedly discussed going on a “manhunt” in a closed Facebook group.

Both attacks occurred despite a heavy Cologne police presence patrolling the city centre on Sunday. It was part of “massive presence measures” in the wake of New Year’s Eve assaults on women by multiple suspects of “North African or Middle Eastern” descent.

On Friday, a Facebook group called “Kölner Bürgerwehr” (Cologne Civic Defense) called rallied those with backgrounds in martial arts and bodybuilding with the motto, “Cologne defends itself”.

On Saturday, an angry crowd of around 1,700 anti-immigrant protestors clashed with police, hurling firecrackers and bottles and chanting “Merkel must go.” 

When they continued to throw projectiles, police deployed two water cannons and used pepper spray to disperse the demonstrators. Supporters of the anti-immigration movement were then herded towards an area near the city’s station.