Desecration: Gave crosses turned upside down

Case information
Incident date
Country
Germany
Place
Erzhütten
Categories
  • Social Hostility / Intolerance
Attack Against
  • Faith
Perpetrator / Motive Indicators
  • Private
Hate Crime & Violent Incidents
  • Vandalism (all)
  • Vandalism of Cemetery
Place of Incident
  • Cemetery
Bias Indicators
  • Comments/Written Statements/Gestures/Graffiti
  • Lack of Other Motive
  • Significance of Property/Structure/Location to religious community
Reported to Police
  • Yes
Response of Local Authorities
  • Investigated
Image credit: freepik

Unknown perpetrators dug up seven grave crosses at the Erzhütten cemetery in Germany over the weekend and put them back in the ground upside down. According to police, at least two crosses and one grave were damaged.

The incident took place between 1 and 2 March. Police are appealing for witnesses.

As an inverted cross is used as an anti-Christian or satanic symbol, this incident is particularly shocking for the Christian community and the relatives of the deceased.

Sources