Religious statue damaged

Case information
Incident date
Country
Germany
Place
Salzgitter-Bad
Categories
  • Social Hostility / Intolerance
Attack Against
  • Faith
Perpetrator / Motive Indicators
  • Private
Hate Crime & Violent Incidents
  • Desecration
  • Vandalism (all)
  • Vandalism of Church
  • Intolerance towards Religious Symbols
Place of Incident
  • Church
Bias Indicators
  • Lack of Other Motive
  • Significance of Property/Structure/Location to religious community
  • Victim/Witness Perception
Reported to Police
  • Yes
Response of Local Authorities
  • Investigated
Image credit: Statues before the vandalism, Wikicommons

In Salzgitter-Bad, unknown vandals caused damage to a local church. A statue of Mary, part of a group of holy figures, was removed and the wall damaged.

Police are investigating. The local community has expressed dismay at the sacrilege. Similar recent acts of vandalism at other churches raise concerns of a growing pattern.

Sources