Church starts dialogue project after severe vandalism

Case information
Incident date
Country
Italy
Place
Trento
Categories
  • Social Hostility / Intolerance
Attack Against
  • Faith
Perpetrator / Motive Indicators
  • Private
Hate Crime & Violent Incidents
  • Vandalism (all)
  • Vandalism of Church
Place of Incident
  • Church
Bias Indicators
  • Comments/Written Statements/Gestures/Graffiti
  • Lack of Other Motive
  • Pattern or Frequency of Attacks
  • Significance of Property/Structure/Location to religious community
  • Victim/Witness Perception
Reported to Police
  • Yes
Response of Local Authorities
  • Investigated
Image credit: prima Mantova

On April 2, the parish priest of the St. Anthony's Oratory in Porto Mantovano, Trento, found the oratory severely vandalised. Next to smashed locks, broken doors and glass, damaged objects and furniture, there was dirt, a swastika and offensive writings on the floor. The incident, was only the latest in a series of vandalism attacks on the oratory. The priest therefore reached out to the community for help.

Given the recurrence of the situation, parish priest Don Matteo Palazzani had the idea is to appeal to the local citizens for an awareness-raising campaign and reached out to the administrators to receive more concrete support: 'I wish that together we could find a solution to redevelop that area,' the parish priest concludes. are spaces that could once again become a resource for everyone and a place of education and positive aggregation, because there is good in everyone.'

Follwing his request, a dialogue project for young people was started in cooperation with the local police.

Sources