Fires Set in Tyrol Church; Witnesses Sought by Police

Case information
Incident date
Country
Austria
Place
Waidring
Categories
  • Social Hostility / Intolerance
Attack Against
  • Faith
Hate Crime & Violent Incidents
  • Arson
  • Vandalism (all)
  • Vandalism of Church
Place of Incident
  • Church
Bias Indicators
  • Significance of Property/Structure/Location to religious community
  • Time/Place/Location
Reported to Police
  • Yes
Response of Local Authorities
  • Investigated
Image credit: Badener, CC BY-SA 3.0, via Wikimedia Commons (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-sa/3.0)

Would-be arsonists started a fire in the parish church in Waidring (Kitzbühel district) on July 23rd. According to police, between 12 p.m. and 5 p.m., unknown perpetrators distributed and lit several matchboxes, matches, and candles on the church pews. In addition, they tried to set fire to a hymn book, presumably using matches. Around 5:15 p.m., a witness noticed the smell of fire in the church, but the fire had already gone out. There was a similar incident on Monday, July 20th: according to investigators, burning ignition wicks had been placed on the kneelers of the church pews.

The police are looking for witnesses. Please call 059 / 133-7201.

Sources: Tiroler Tageszeitung and Kronen Zeitung

Sources