Cologne plans hugely increased New Year police presence
BERLIN — Cologne is planning a hugely increased police presence for New Year’s Eve and banning firecrackers around its landmark cathedral as part of efforts to prevent a repeat of last year’s string of robberies and sexual assaults, authorities said Monday.
The crimes, blamed largely on foreign men, heightened tensions in Germany over the influx of migrants in 2015. Police were criticized for their handling of the situation, and the city’s then-police chief was removed.