A suspected arson attack occurred at a Catholic church in Novi Sad, northern Serbia, on Wednesday night.
Unknown individuals set fire to a side entrance of the Church of the Name of Mary, damaging a 19th-century door. No injuries were reported.
The local priest discovered the incident early on Thursday morning, finding firefighters and police at the scene. Emergency services suspected arson, though no arrests had been made. The parish priest stated that visible signs at the scene suggested the fire had been deliberately set, reinforcing emergency services’ suspicion of intentional arson.
Local authorities and political figures condemned the attack, with the mayor of Novi Sad and members of the Vojvodina opposition describing it as a serious and unacceptable act.
Update: A 53-year-old arrested for setting fire to a church door in Novi Sad will undergo a psychiatric evaluation.