Cologne Officials To Combat NYE Sex Attacks With 'Tolerance' Wristbands

The city of Cologne has announced they will be handing out "respect" wristbands to encourage understanding between individuals on New Year's Eve and prevent the kind of sex attacks that occurred in 2015. The wristbands are part of a new campaign called "respect" which is sponsored by the city government and controversial Cologne Mayor Henriette Reker. Many have slammed Reker and the campaign on social media likening it to comments she made shortly after the 2015 attacks calling on women to keep men at "arm's length", Kronen Zeitung reports.

At a press conference, Reker said that the campaign would focus on telling people not to sexually attack others or shoot fireworks at individuals, buildings or police. The wristbands themselves are meant to inform others to be respectful when approaching the wearer and prevent potential sex attacks.

On social media, some users reacted to the move with scorn and criticism. One user asked the city of Cologne and Mayor Reker, "What are you doing? Is this appeasement, a gesture of submission or the self-stigmatizing of a culture that is surrendering?"

Die Stadt @Koeln wird zu #Silvester eine #Respect-Kampagne starten und Armbändchen an alle Besucher verteilen. OB @HenrietteReker stellt das Projekt heute Mittag vor. #Koeln #köln #respekt #silvester2017 @ZDFheute pic.twitter.com/abInC6XkFC

— ZDF-Landesstudio Nordrhein-Westfalen (@ZDFnrw) December 13, 2017