German Town Bars Male Migrants From Its Public Pool - A town in western Germany has banned male asylum seekers from public swimming pools after complaints from women that they were being harassed by migrants.

Markus Schnapka, deputy mayor of Bornheim, a town of 48,000 about 18 miles south of Cologne, said a tough decision was taken to send a clear message that transgressing German cultural norms was a red line that should not be crossed.

Bornheim had started a campaign to teach asylum seekers about respect for women and gender equality, Schnapka said.

German news media outlets reported that asylum seekers, who get no funds from the state, should present an identification document to be admitted to pools at a discounted rate.

The attacks on women outside Cologne's cathedral have actually deepened public doubts about Chancellor Angela Merkel's open-door policy toward refugees fleeing conflicts in the Middle East and about Germany's ability to integrate the mainly Muslim and Arab newcomers.

The investigations into sexual molestation are focusing on 19 suspects, including 10 asylum seekers and 9 illegal migrants thought to be from North Africa. The police said the suspects came from outside Cologne.