Cologne’s mayor is under fire for suggesting women should protect themselves, after about 90 New Year revellers were sexually assaulted, robbed or threatened during the city’s celebrations.

Henriette Reker is among politicians who urged Germans not to put foreigners and refugees under “blanket suspicion” following furious demonstrations over the attacks.

But she also advised women to stay at “arm’s length” from strangers.

After a slew of comments on social media, Ms Reker said she regretted any misunderstanding.

And she added: “The priority is for concrete security to be provided on our streets and squares.”

German Chancellor Angela Merkel has also found herself under pressure over the incident, which police have linked to a known criminal network.

Gangs of young, mostly drunk, men are being hunted, suspected of carrying out the attacks — described as “a new dimension in crime” — outside Cologne’s cathedral.

Three suspects have reportedly been identified, but there have been no arrests yet.

Read the article “Cologne Mayor Under Fire Over Attacks Comment” on news.sky.com.