Mayor mocked for advice on avoiding assaults

The mayor of Cologne drew online mockery on Wednesday for her advice to women on how to avoid sexual assaults like those that marred her city's New Year's Eve festivities.

Henriette Reker, 59, told a news conference about last week's mob attacks on Tuesday that girls and young women could avoid trouble by staying over "an arm's length" away from strangers.

The comment sparked anger and ridicule amid a heated debate about the ugly scenes blamed on men of Arab and North African appearance.