During a demonstration in Hamm, protestors displayed offensive slogans and incitement to violent action against Christians churches, including a banner stating: “The only church that enlightens is the one that burns.” The protest took place in the context of a legal dispute concerning abortion restrictions at a Catholic hospital.
On 5 February 2026, several hundred people gathered in Hamm, North Rhine-Westphalia, to protest against a Catholic hospital’s decision to restrict abortions in line with its religious ethical guidelines following a merger.
During the gathering, placards and slogans expressed strong opposition to the Catholic Church. Among them was a sign reading: “The only church that enlightens is the one that burns.” In the context of increasing arson attacks on churches in Germany, this incitement to violence was particularly shocking for the local Catholic community. It followed a number of property attacks on Christian buildings
The protest followed a labour court ruling in Hamm that upheld the legality of the hospital’s internal policy restricting abortions to medically necessary cases, confirming the institution’s right to enforce its ethical guidelines within its organisational framework.