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The German Chancellor, who is approaching her fourth term in office, confessed there are places in her nation “where people are afraid to go”.

Her shocking comments come after a shock report revealed gangs of men are preventing people from straying into once vibrant areas of the country for fear of violence and abuse that even law enforcement has been unable to control.

During an interview with n-tv on Monday, she said: “The state has to ensure that whenever people move or meet in public areas they feel safe.

“It means for example that there cannot be any no-go areas, that there cannot be areas where people are afraid to go - but such places are a reality.