Berlin's New Year's Eve celebration will have a women-only 'safe zone' to prevent harassment, assault

The Brandenburg Gate is a location for many celebrations in Berlin.
(Image credit: Sean Gallup/Getty Images)

Berlin is taking a major step to prevent sexual harassment and assault at this year's New Year's Eve party after women were singled out in a spree of crimes at celebrations in Cologne in 2015. In order to prevent a similar situation, the 2017 Brandenburg Gate party will have an established, optional women-only "safe zone" at the event staffed by the German Red Cross, Metro reports.

Not everyone is on board with the plan. "Critics say it does not tackle the perpetrators of sexual violence," the BBC writes, "while some others complain it is discriminatory."

Additional security measures are in place to prevent crimes, including a ban on alcoholic drinks and large bags.

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