Asked by Sputnik Germany who they believed was responsible for the incident in Cologne involving migrant men attacking women during New Year's Eve celebrations, three quarters (75.7%) of the over 4,800 readers who responded blamed the federal government.
Only 6% blamed refugees in general, with 1.7% blaming the police, and 1.5% the local government. Another 15.1% blamed 'all of the above'.
With the number of complaints of sexual assault, molestation, lewd comments and taunts, as well as robbery swelling to nearly 400, Chancellor Angela Merkel has been forced to toughen her stand on refugees. Meanwhile, calls for the chancellor's resignation are on the rise. Cases of assaults by migrants have also since been reported in other German towns and cities, and in Sweden, Austria and Switzerland.