On 30 May, 2025, a choir member was physically assaulted and a historic stained-glass window was broken during an evening rehearsal at St. Mary the Virgin Church in West Derby, Liverpool. This attack deeply shook both the choir members and the wider parish and raises concerns about personal safety in this sacred space.
The incident occurred at around 10 p.m. during a regular Friday night choir rehearsal. Several young people approached the church and started to cause a disturbance. When a parishioner stepped outside to speak with them, one of the youths hit him on the head, injuring his ear. The group then proceeded to vandalise the church by smashing one of its historic stained-glass windows, destroying glass that had been part of the building for around 170 years.
Rosemary Critchley, a church council member, described how "we were all absolutely shattered when we saw what we saw" and noted that "some of our choir members are in their 60s, 70s -even older."
St Mary the Virgin is a historic parish church in West Derby, serving its local community for generations. The window destroyed during the attack was among the oldest in the building, making its loss particularly painful for the congregation. The parish has launched an online appeal to help pay for the window's repairs.
Police are investigating reports of criminal damage and assault.