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Refugees living in Germany fear of backlash over Cologne scandal

SHAFAQNA – Muslim groups say they have been inundated with abusive calls after New Year’s Eve assaults on women in German cities, while Justice Minister warns of potential anti-foreigner pogrom. Tony Paterson reports from Cologne.

The Independent wrote in a new report: “In a narrow backstreet overlooking railway tracks, the 140 refugees who live in Cologne’s Hotel Mado say they are living in a climate of fear. An anti-foreigner backlash has come hard on the heels of the city’s New Year’s Eve attacks, which police have said were largely the work of Arab and north African immigrants.

On Sunday night, a lynch mob descended on the area surrounding Cologne’s landmark cathedral where 500 women were assaulted by apparently co-ordinated gangs 12 days ago. Two Pakistani men were badly beaten and three Guinean men and two Syrians were also injured. The attacks stopped only after busloads of police arrived on the scene. Thousands of people were expected to attend an anti-foreigner protest organised by the anti-Muslim Pegida movement tonight.”

Because foreigners were accused of sexual assault against women over New Year’s eve celebrations, far right groups and other groups have used the incident to create a narrative of hate rooted in the demonization of all foreigners and migrants in general.

This falls within a dangerous political trend whereby officials have slowly shifted blame on war refugees, over claims their arrival to Europe would ultimately generate civil and economic strife for host countries.

Heiko Mass, the German Justice Minister, today warned of a potential anti-foreigner pogrom. “There is no justification for blanket agitation against foreigners,” he said. Germany’s main Muslim umbrella group, the Central Council for Muslims, said that it had been forced to cut off all phone lines after being inundated with abusive and racist calls and emails since the 31 December attacks.

Standing in the reception area of Hotel Mado, a temporary home to mainly African refugees, 25-year-old Prince Berchie from Ghana told The Independent that  most of the migrants in the hostel now felt too afraid to leave.

“None of us like to go too far away from this place, we are worried about what could happen to us,” he said. “Anyone who looks foreign can be a target now,” he said.

The anxiety was also palpable at a Cologne Red Cross asylum hostel just a mile away on the outskirts of the city. Behind the heavily fortified gates, Hussam, a 27-year-old Syrian refugee, said he was deeply worried about what the future held in store.

“Of course I am shocked about what happened on New Year’s Eve – I just want to say that we Syrians respect women,” he said.

His views were echoed by a group of Syrian and Pakistani refugees who responded to the Cologne attacks by writing to Chancellor Angela Merkel: “We strive to uphold the dignity and honour of women,” they wrote, adding; “We respect the laws of our host country without question. We are happy to have been given protection in Germany.”

But the head of Germany’s Muslim Council, Almin Mazjek, said the mood had turned against Muslims in the wake of the attacks. “We are experiencing a new dimension of hatred,” he said, “The far-right mob sees its prejudices confirmed and an opportunity to give free rein to hatred of Muslims and foreigners.”

The regional government of North Rhine Westfalia blamed policing failures, after it emerged that police were aware the attacks were being carried out as early as 8.30pm on New Year’s Eve. Ralf Jäger, the state’s Social Democrat Interior Minister, said police had failed to call in urgently needed reinforcements to deal with the problem.

“The police made serious mistakes which were unacceptable,” he said. Mr Jäger sacked the Cologne’s police chief, Wolfgang Albers, in the aftermath of the attacks.

 

The Cologne attacks prompted Pope Francis to remark that the “immense influx” of refugees was “causing problems” but that Europe had the means to strike a balance between protecting citizens and helping refugees. The worried residents of Cologne’s Hotel Mado will be hoping that the Pontiff is right.

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