Background Just as the year 2016 began, people around the world could read in the global media that dozens of women celebrating New Year's Eve in one of the major cities of Germany, Cologne, had become victims of mass sexual assault by “men with North African and Middle Eastern appearances,” as the German news magazine Der Spiegel put it.¹

The Spiegel hastened to add that the attacks occurred at a time when sentiment toward Muslims and foreigners in Germany appeared to be becoming increasingly antagonistic. Those critical of Chancellor Angela Merkel's policy of massively welcoming refugees have become more vocal.