Serious episodes of vandalism: Easter candle soiled with excrement

Case information
Incident date
Country
Germany
Place
Kraichgau
Categories
  • Social Hostility / Intolerance
Attack Against
  • Faith
Perpetrator / Motive Indicators
  • Private
Hate Crime & Violent Incidents
  • Desecration
  • Vandalism (all)
  • Vandalism of Church
Place of Incident
  • Church
Bias Indicators
  • Lack of Other Motive
  • Pattern or Frequency of Attacks
  • Significance of Property/Structure/Location to religious community
  • Victim/Witness Perception
Reported to Police
  • Yes
Response of Local Authorities
  • Investigated
Image credit: wikicommons, p.schmelzle: photo of the Kurnbach church from inside

Several churches in the Kraichgau region have recently suffered damage. Kürnbach has been the victim of vandalism twice - someone relieved himself and damaged candles and the altar bible. In Zaisenhausen, six windows were smashed with stones. In Bretten-Büchig the organ was covered with a sticky liquid.

In the Evangelical Church of St Michael in Kürnbach, someone apparently defecated in the pulpit on 17 February and then covered it with an open Bible, pages down. The missing Easter candle was found soiled with excrement next to the Bible. The missing altar candle was found in a pool of urine on the church floor. "The church is a place of protection and security. Now you feel unsafe," said Sabine Hanselle, the local pastor. A few weeks later, there was another incident of vandalism.

In the first week of February, Zaisenhausen was hit by vandalism. As in previous years, the windows of the Protestant church were smashed with stones or balls.

In Bretten-Büchig, the organ of the Catholic Church of the Holy Cross was covered with a sticky liquid, presumably cola, in December and will have to be repaired at great expense.

Sources