Authorities say as many as 1,000 men were involved in the alleged attacks in Cologne and that the assaults were coordinated. The incidents have sparked outrage and protests in Germany, and condemnation from officials, including Merkel, as well as criticism of how the police in Cologne handled the matter.

At a news conference on Tuesday, the first time she publicly addressed the issue, Reker was asked how women could protect themselves in such situations. Here’s her reply, courtesy of The Guardian:

There’s always the possibility of keeping a certain distance of more than an arm’s length—that is to say to make sure yourself you don’t look to be too close to people who are not known to you, and to whom you don’t have a trusting relationship.

The comments prompted mocking on social media with #einarmlaenge (arm’s length) trending on Twitter. Much of the outrage and mockery is in German, but here are two remarks in English:

It is not women's responsibility to keep men from assaulting them. It is men's responsibility not to assault. #einarmlaenge — Jeff Fecke (@jkfecke) January 6, 2016

The reported assaults in Cologne have prompted questions of how the city would prevent a recurrence during the upcoming Carnival season. Reker’s comments at Tuesday’s news conference:

We will explain our Carnival much better to people who come from other cultures, so there won’t be any confusion about what constitutes celebratory behavior in Cologne, which has nothing to do with a sexual frankness.

German officials, including Merkel, Reker, and others, have been quick to dismiss any attempt to link the alleged attacks to the influx of migrants to the country—though anti-immigrant groups and figures have done just that. But German officials have also said the law will punish the guilty—irrespective of their background.

Also coming under fire is the way the police handled the incidents in Cologne.

The attacks—and robberies—allegedly occurred in the city’s historic square, which lies between the main train station and the cathedral. About 1,000 men, whom witnesses described to police as Arab or North African, had gathered outside the station and were letting off fireworks. Some were drunk and aggressive, news reports say. Police cleared the square because they feared injuries from the fireworks. But the men soon returned and carried out the attacks with reportedly little to no response from the local police.

Thomas de Maiziere, the German interior minister, the BBC reports, said it shouldn’t be the case the area was first cleared “and then later these events take place and they wait for complaints. The police shouldn't work like this.”