All cases

Persistent Vandalism of Alpine Church

April 28, 2019, Italy

A year after the restoration of the historic alpine church Santa Maria in Colle and its panoramic churchyard and old cemetery, vandals defiled the walls with with graffiti and scattered garbage around the site again on April 28th. Despite the efforts of the town community and authorities to keep the church and its surroundings a clean and welcoming place, there have been recurring acts of vandalism by unknown perpetrators.

Disruptions and Security Concerns at Armenian Genocide Commemorations in Germany

April 27, 2019, Germany

In Frankfurt am Main, the Diocese of the Armenian Church in Germany and the Central Council of Armenians held a memorial service at the Paulskirche on April 27th for the victims of the Armenian Genocide. Just hours before the event, the keynote speaker was forced to cancel his participation due to acute security concerns. The speaker, Mourad Franck Papazian of the Coordinating Council of Armenian Associations in France, received a warning from French security police that he might become a target for Turkish extremists in Germany.  Other incidents included damage of cross stones and threats toward ceremony participants.

Vandalism in the Saint-Rémi Church

April 27, 2019, France

The church Saint-Rémi (Diocese of Nancy) in Thiaucourt-Regniéville was vandalized on April 27th. A fire extinguisher was emptied and the powder was sprayed all over the church floor and pews. The cleaning costs were about 1,200 euros. After the municipal council meeting, the elected representatives decided to close the church for the public outside the services.

Two Hate Crimes In Two Days In Scotland

April 27, 2019, United Kingdom

On April 27th anti-Catholic graffiti saying "F*** the Pope" was sprayed on a bus station outside the Holy Family Catholic Church in Mossed. Only two days later unknown perpetrators broke into the St. Simon Catholic Church in Glasgow, overturned candles and a shrine of Our Lady of Częstochowa and broke the statue. Although only 15 percent of the Scottish population are Catholics, they suffer 57 percent of all religion-motivated hate crimes in Scotland.

Posters of Our Lady of Częstochowa with Rainbow Halo Scattered around Płock Church

April 26, 2019, Poland

On the morning of April 27th, parishioners noticed posters of Our Lady of Częstochowa (a sacred image of the Virgin Mary and Child) scattered around the church of St. Maksymilian Kolbe with rainbows replacing the golden halos. The posters were found around litter bins and portable toilets. The spokesman for the Polish Bishops Conference denounced the act and asked for people "regardless of beliefs and personal views, to respect the religious feelings of believers." The incident was also harshly criticized by the Interior Ministry. There were three suspects identified and they will go on trial in November 2020.

Thieves Fled Church after Trying to Steal Donation Box

April 26, 2019, Germany

At about 4:30 pm on April 26th, two people entered the Annakirche in Düren (Nordrhein-Westfalen) and immediately noticed two males: One was kneeling in front of the donation and sacrificial candle container trying to cut open the padlock with a bolt cutter. When the witnesses approached the men, they fled the church.

Bomb Threat Halted Church Commemoration of Armenian Genocide

April 24, 2019, Germany

Police evacuated the Lutherkirche in the Bad Cannstadt district of Stuttgart on April 24th shortly before a 7pm commemoration service for the anniversary of the Armenian Genocide was to take place. The pastor of the Armenian Christian community reported that received a warning from police to clear the church after an anonymous bomb threat was received. Police forces blocked off a large area around the church, employing special forces with machine guns and dogs until late in the evening. A police spokesman neither confirmed nor denied that it had been a bomb threat, but called it a "threat situation" and explosives detection dogs were brought in as a precautionary measure. Police authorities are still investigating. 

Windows Damaged and Donations Stolen from Lower Saxony Chruch

April 24, 2019, Germany

Sometime between April 21st and 24th, unidentified perpetrator(s) broke at least nine windows of a Wilhelmshaven and stole the donation proceeds from the inside the church. Police investigated and looked for witnesses.

Private Chapel in Sarzeau Vandalized

April 24, 2019, France

In the night of April 24th, the chapel on the private property of Madame Walsh de Serrant was vandalized and a statue of the Virgin Mary was destroyed.

Easter Mass Disrupted in Trieste

April 21, 2019, Italy

During the Easter Mass in the church of San Giovanni, a man who was receiving communion responded to the traditional formula "the Body of Christ" by saying "thanks" and then asking "what part of the body is this?" and began walking away, carrying the consecrated host and denouncing the Catholic religion. Parishioners were shocked and one ordered the man to consume the host before leaving the building.