A church in Vienna was vandalised with politically motivated graffiti, including pro-Palestinian slogans. The incident forms part of repeated vandalism affecting the site.
The incident occurred during the night of 14-15 May 2025 at the Karlskirche, where unknown perpetrators sprayed multiple slogans in the area around Karlsplatz. The graffiti included phrases such as “Free Gaza,” applied in red paint to surfaces near the church, including construction barriers adjacent to the building.
While some of the graffiti on the church site was applied to temporary structures rather than directly onto the historic façade, the church was nevertheless among the targeted locations. The nearby Technical University of Vienna was also affected, with additional slogans painted directly onto its walls.
Authorities have opened an investigation, with the State Office for the Protection of the Constitution and Counterterrorism informed of the case. The Karlskirche has been repeatedly targeted by vandalism in the past, according to the report, indicating a pattern of similar incidents at this location.
"This vandalism is yet another attack on religious freedom. There must be zero tolerance here," stresses a Vienna city councillor.