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Seven people have been arrested over 10 suspected sexual harassment cases in Berlin, Germany’s capital, according to the Die Welt newspaper.

The alleged sex attacks took place during a New Year’s Eve event at the iconic Brandenburg Gate, where hundreds of thousands gathered to celebrate, the paper said.

Writing on Twitter, Berlin police confirmed “suspects were arrested” over the suspected sexual assaults.

“Cases of sexual assaults were unfortunately reported during Welcome2018 events in Berlin. We do not tolerate such acts. Suspects were arrested,” the force tweeted on Monday morning.

(Image: GETTY)

Speaking to Ruptly today, Thomas Neuendorf, of Berlin police, said women were “groped between their legs or their buttocks”.

“The suspects were predominantly young men from Syria or Afghanistan,” he told the video news agency.

Organisers of the open air event had created a special safe zone for women at the annual New year’s Eve party at the request of Berlin police.

Meanwhile in Cologne, nine women have claimed they were touched inappropriately during New Year’s Eve celebrations, a police spokesperson told German media.

(Image: GETTY) (Image: GETTY)

Police identified three suspects, who were later arrested in connection with the alleged sex assaults, according to RP Online.

But police stressed there were no scenes akin to the notorious Cologne sex attacks during New Year’s Eve celebrations in 2015/16.

On that occasion there were allegations of mass sexual assaults, rapes and thefts against women by gangs of men in Cologne city centre.

Hamburg police said a “very small measure” of alleged sexual assaults were reported amid New Year’s Eve celebrations.

Police were equipped with body cameras to deter sexual assaults and identify attackers in the northern German city.

In Munich, "nothing at all" had been reported, a police spokesman said on Monday.

However, the spokesperson added: “Experience shows that such a thing often only appears one or two days later.”

The number of sex crimes and rapes reported in Germany rose 12.8% in 2016 to 7,919 cases, the latest figures show.

The rise has been linked to the influx of asylum seekers overseen by chancellor Angela Merkel over the last few years.