After tensions already at a high with Germany opening their doors to over 1 million immigrants from the middle East, suspects of what seemed to be a coordinated mass sexual on women were in fact asylum seekers.

New Year’s eve, there were dozens of complaints filed consisting of sexual assault and robberies and around Cologne, Germany’s main train station where over 1000 men congregated.

Some women reported being surrounded by small group of men and being harassed, groped, robbed and in one case raped.

One 18-year-old victim, Michelle, told the German news network N-TV “’They were full of anger, and we had to make sure that none of us were pulled away by them. They were groping us and we were trying to get away as quickly as possible” after being surrounded me men along with 11 of her friends.

31 men, said to be from the middle east or north Africa have been charged for the attacks and 18 of them are asylum-seekers. However it wasn’t only Germany effected. A handful of other European countries also experienced a number of sexually based crimes New Year’s eve.

As a result, the attacks sparked protests around the country over immigration. The protesters blaming immigrants for the attacks marching the streets with signs reading “Deport Them” and “Rapefugees Not Welcome”.

In addition to protests, there have been numerous attacks almost daily on refugee camps all around Germany in attempt to end refugees coming into Germany.

In reaction, Germany’s Justice Ministry announced laws will be passed as early as next month to make deporting migrants found guilty of crimes easier.