Nativity Scenes Destroyed and Burned Down in Ypres Saint Martin Church and Neighbourhoods of Marke, Watermael-Boitsfort and Mousset
Case information
Incident date
Country
Belgium
Categories
Social Hostility / Intolerance
Attack Against
Faith
Perpetrator / Motive Indicators
Private
Hate Crime & Violent Incidents
Arson
Theft
Vandalism (all)
Vandalism of Church
Vandalism of Public Christian Symbol
Religious Freedom / Discrimination
Censorship or Removal of Public Christian Symbols
Other (text field)
Place of Incident
Church
Bias Indicators
Comments/Written Statements/Gestures/Graffiti
Pattern or Frequency of Attacks
Significance of Property/Structure/Location to religious community
Reported to Police
Unknown
Response of Local Authorities
Unknown
The nativity scene of Ypres Saint Martin Church has been damaged numerous times in the last period. Perpetrators tore the baby Jesus apart as well as smeared the figures of the saints with ketchup. The hat of Joseph disappeared twice, and the dolls were pulled apart. In another neighbourhood, Marke, the baby Jesus has also been stolen from the nativity scene and hung above the tunnel. In Watermael-Boitsfort and Mousset, the nativity scenes were set on fire. The cases have been suspected as arson.