Cologne police reject charges of racial profiling, defend New Year’s Eve security tactics
In a bid to prevent a repeat of last year’s sex attacks, state police focused on men of North African descent on New Year’s Eve. Police Chief Jürgen Mathies has faced criticism for praising the success of the practice. In the face of a heated debate in Germany over the alleged use of racial profiling during New Year’s Eve celebrations on Sunday, police in the German city of Cologne defended their tactics. Speaking to the press, Police Chief Jürgen Mathies admitted that yes, officers had specifically targeted men who appeared to be of North African extraction to undergo police checks,…