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Hooligans: We're kind of sorry for Cologne chaos

The Local Germany
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Hooligans: We're kind of sorry for Cologne chaos
Hooligans overturn a police van in Cologne. Photo: DPA

The group behind riots in Cologne last weekend, Hooligans Against Salafists, has made a grudging apology for the violence that broke out between demonstrators and police.

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“Fewer than ten percent of participants behaved in an unruly fashion,” the statement reported in Spiegel read, adding that the organizers regretted that “not everything went optimally”.

But there was plenty of blame to spread around, they said, accusing the police of “not always behaving correctly”.

“We don't want to shift blame onto others, but we want to get this on the record.”

They said that fireworks and rocks were also thrown at their demonstration by left-wing counter-demonstrators.

Almost 5000 hooligans clashed with police in Cologne last Sunday when what was supposed to be a march against Islamic fundamentalism turned violent.

Doubt has been cast over whether a Berlin demonstration planned by the group for November 15th will actually take place after it emerged that it had been registered with police using a false name.

And a demonstration that was to take place in Hamburg on the same day was cancelled.

But notice of a third march has been submitted to Hanover authorities under the motto “Europe against the terror of Islamism”, which Norddeutsche Rundfunk reported was being organized by the hooligan group.

“Our democracy is too precious to be dragged into the muck by its detractors,” President Joachim Gauck told ARD television on Saturday.

He called on families and clubs to cut themselves off from those who were spreading aggressive or far-right opinions.

SEE ALSO: 'We can't allow a proxy war on German streets'

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