Police in Cologne say they've detained
hundreds of men "seemingly of African descent" as part of operations to
prevent a repeat of the attacks seen in the German city a year ago.
Cologne police say the men were detained at two main
train stations so that officers could question them and check their
identities.
Authorities fielded over 1,500 officers
across Cologne for New Year's celebrations in response to criticism that
they failed to stop hundreds of robberies and sexual assaults — blamed
largely on men of North African origin — last year.
Some revelers this year complained on Twitter that police appeared to be detaining people based on their appearance alone.
By early Sunday police had received reports of two women being sexually assaulted in Cologne. One man was arrested.