All cases
Smashed Window of Protestant Church
September 5, 2019, GermanyA cobblestone was used to smash a stained-glass window of the Protestant Church of Kusel in Luitpoldstraße on August 5th between 3 and 4 pm. The damage amounts to 1250 euros. The police are investigating and searching for witnesses.
Church Desecrated with Satanic Tags in Giroussens
September 3, 2019, FranceA secluded church in Giroussens was discovered vandalized with blue graffiti including an inverted cross on the front of the altar. Other images found in Notre-Dame-de-Sept-Fages included goat with horns, an inverted pentagram, and the message behind the altar: "Here an army is born." The mayor expressed anger and filed a police complaint
Christian Youth Center Vandalized
September 2, 2019, ItalyOn Sunday morning, the plants were found married and the closets open in the church of St. Fatima. In the kitchen of the Youth Center, food and dishes were thrown on the ground and the pantries were looted and the whole place was left dirty. The police are running an investigation.
Religious Statues Damaged in Marseille
August 30, 2019, FranceA Marseille resident reported to l'Observatoire de la Christianophobie that religious statues in various districts of the city had been damaged over several months. Incidents included: the hands severed from a statue of the Virgin Mary, the crown broken from another statue of the Virgin Mary, and the arms broken off a statue of the infant Jesus.
Arson Causes 100,000 Euros in Damage at Wildeshausen Church
August 30, 2019, GermanyUnknown perpetrators attempted to set fire to parts of the St.-Peter Kirche in Wildeshausen on August 30th at around 3 p.m. They lit hymn books on the stairs to the organ loft with sacrificial candles, but they did not catch fire. The perpetrators then apparently lit a hymn book and the seat cushion of a row of benches with matches and the candle flame. The cushion burned over the entire length of four meters but fortunately, the wooden benches did not catch fire. Damage from the smoke generated by the burning cushion caused extensive damage to the interior of the church and organ.
Church Equipped With Security Cameras Following Desecration
August 28, 2019, ItalyOn the 28th August, the Mayor Massimo Paolini announced the installation of surveillance cameras in the Church of Our Lady of the Arc to control security and prevent vandalism, which has been targeting the church in the past months, including trashing and graffiti with satanic motives.
Finnish Politician Investigated for Hate Crime for Sharing Bible Verse
August 27, 2019, FinlandThe Helsinki Police Department announced it had opened pre-trial investigations into Päivi Räsänen, a Christian Democrat MP, for her criticism of the Evangelical Lutheran Church of Finland's (ELCF) participation in the Helsinki LGBT Pride events in June. She posted a photograph of Romans 1:24-26 from the New Testament on Facebook and wrote "How does the foundation of the church’s teachings, the Bible, fit with elevating sin and shame as reasons for pride?"
Police Investigate Church Arson in Saint-Amand-sur-Sèvre
August 24, 2019, FranceCriminal investigators were brought on the scene after a suspicious fire began in the wooden library of the Saint-Amand church in Saint-Amand-sur-Sèvre on August 24th. The fire was brought under control by the gendarmes of the community of brigades (COB) of Cerizay-Mauléon dispatched to the site. Sixteen firefighters were also present as well as a team from Gérédis who cut off the electrical power to the building.
Youth 'defecates in Spanish church, smears feces on statue, walls'
August 21, 2019, SpainPolice announced on August 21st that an 18-year-old man would be charged with defecating in a shrine to the Virgin Mary and then smearing his feces on a statue of Christ and on the walls of the church, Spanish news agencies report. The incident, caught on CCTV, took place on July 26 at the Santuario de la Virgen de la Fuensanta in the Jaén provincial town of Villanueva del Arzobispo.
Fire Set in Front of Rheine Church
August 21, 2019, GermanyOn August 21, the police were called to the St. Ludgerus-Kirche to investigate a fire. Unknown perpetrators set the newspapers on fire outside a door of the main entrance to the church.
Vandals Ransacked Carnwadric Church Of Scotland
August 20, 2019, United KingdomThe Carnwadric Church, home to the Rainbow Centre and Carnwadric Win Project, in Scotland was ravaged on August 20th. The church door was found burst open on the next morning. The vandals stole cash boxes and laptops, knocked cabinets over, broke windows, tore TV`s off the walls and wrote the letters "AYT" (maybe a mark of a local young team) on the walls.
Surge in Thefts of Chapel Bells in the Var
August 19, 2019, FranceTwo bells classified as Historic Monuments were stolen in early August from chapels in Esparron-de-Pallières and Brue-Auriac, a month after bells stolen from Ginasservis.
''God is Dead'' Sprayed On Church
August 18, 2019, GermanyOn the night of 17. to 18. August, unknown vandals spray-painted St. Peter Catholic Church in Bad Waldsee with the words "God is Dead" with black paint. The property damage amounts to 200 euros. The police are investigating and searching for witnesses.
Convert Deported From Finland Back to Iran, Where He Was Tortured
August 12, 2019, FinlandAn Iranian asylum seeker who converted to Christianity was returned to Iran on the 12th of August, after his asylum was rejected. According to the administrative law, he would be allowed to live a moderate Christian life in Iran. The community made a petition for Sardan to be able to stay in Finland, because of fear of persecution, but still he was deported. According to the Information, after the arrival he was arrested by the police, questioned about his faith and tortured until he renounced his Christian faith and returned to Islam. He refused and many attempt are taking place to get him to Finland.
Vandals Smashed Windows Of Holy Trinity Church
August 11, 2019, United KingdomOn August 11th around 22:00 unknown perpetrators threw two large stones through the windows of the church hall at the Holy Trinity church in Kimberley. The police are investigating and searching for witnesses.
Theft and Desecration at Oise Parish
August 9, 2019, FranceThe church of Saint-Éloi (parish of the Bienheureuses-Carmélites-de-Compiègne, diocese of Compiegne, Oise) was robbed, vandalized, and desecrated between the 3rd and 9th of August. Sound equipment, a ciborium, an aspergillum (a liturgical implement used to sprinkle holy water), holy water font, and other liturgical objects were stolen. The burglars forced open the tabernacle to steal the ciborium and stole consecrated hosts, as well. "The most essential thing for us is that the tabernacle was forced, and that the Blessed Sacrament, the presence of Christ was touched, stolen. Which is for us a desecration. The real presence of Christ has been stolen. It's something strong," said the communications director of the Oise diocese.
Vandalism And Fire In The Church Of Saint-Mathieu
August 7, 2019, FranceUnknown people vandalized the church of Saint-Mathieu in the Pays d`Iroise on August 7th. Burn marks were found on the altar and at a statue of the Virgin Mary, candles were broken, thrown on the floor and into the holy water tank and a rosary was burned. The church is now closed outside of services. The police are investigating and searching for witnesses.
Major Thefts and Damage at Marquette-lez-Lille Cemetery
August 7, 2019, FranceIn Marq-Lambersart on the Weekend of 3rd August, around 225 graves were robbed at the Marquette-Lez-Lille Cemetery. The unknown perpetrators attacked the bronze vases, which were unsealed and stole the bronze crosses from the graves. Also, some graves were damaged.
Suspicious Fire at Virton Rectory
August 5, 2019, BelgiumDuring the night between August 4th and 5th 2019 firefighters from three towns intervened to extinguish a major fire in the annex of the rectory next to the Church Saint-Laurant in the Belgian town of Virton. The fire broke out in the small outbuilding adjoining the rectory, where a pile of wood and old planks were stored. The fire quickly spread to the roof of the left part of the rectory and the wall of an adjacent restaurant. The priest had just enough time to save his car, which was in the garage and was soon engulfed in flames.
Liverpool Church Vandalized
August 4, 2019, United KingdomSix windows were smashed and mysterious graffiti reading "BEAST" was written on the wall of St. Oswald's Roman Catholic Presbytery in Old Swan (Liverpool). Police began an investigation.
Repeated Vandalism at Longford Church; Bishop Calls it "Profoundly Disrespectful"
August 2, 2019, IrelandIrish police Gardaí investigated an attempted burglary at the Catholic St. Michael's Church in Shroid, Longford Co. after a passerby reported broken windows to the parish house. Unknown perpetrators smashed a few plain glass windows and a stained glass window depicting the Sacred Heart which was over the altar of the church between July 28th and August 2nd.
German Pastor Says Asylum for Christian Converts Has Become a Pure Gamble"
August 2, 2019, GermanyProtestant pastor Dr. Gottfried Martens, who ministers to over 1,600 people in his church, most of them converts and asylum seekers from Iran and Afghanistan, has said that whether someone is granted asylum or not is almost like a "pure gamble." The problem Martens sees in the administrative courts is how judges "verify" the earnestness of an asylum seeker's conversion to Christianity. Some trust a pastor's statement whether written or oral in court, while some ignore it and only focus on the short time they spend with the refugee in court. This fully depends on what kind of judge one gets appointed to, according to Martens, and there is no way to prepare well enough for a court date if there is no general regulation that a minister's statement be taken into account.
Italian Church Vandalized with Excrement
August 1, 2019, ItalyDuring the early morning hours of August 1st, unknown perpetrators vandalized the church of Sant'Antonio in Crebbio, Abbadia Lariana. They smeared excrement on the front door, staircase, lawn, and the cobblestones outside the church. Volunteers immediately began cleaning the heavily soiled area and found a yellow bowl with some dung residue. The parish priest of Abbadia and the community expressed deep shock and outrage. Police opened an investigation.
Thief Targeted Offertory Box
July 30, 2019, GermanyAn unidentified person pried open the offertory box for candles on July 30th in the St. Pancratius Catholic Church in Körbecke, Möhnesee.
NHS Trust Agreed to Christian Sunday Services after Threat of Legal Action
July 30, 2019, United KingdomA Christian patient’s request to have Sunday worship services at a medium secure mental health unit in East London have finally been granted after a year-long legal battle with the NHS on the grounds of religious discrimination. As a result of his weekly requests falling on deaf ears, Freddie O'Neil turned to the Christian Legal Centre (CLC) for support. A pre-action letter was then sent to the East London Foundation Trust in October 2018 stating that, as a Christian, Freddie needed to attend Sunday Christian services each week as well as receiving Holy Communion. After a year, and further threats of legal action, the Centre finally began offering weekly Sunday Christian services on Sunday 7 July 2019.
Several Swastikas Painted on Oratory in Ireland
July 30, 2019, IrelandSeveral swastikas were spray-painted on the oratory and a cross in the Comeragh mountains overlooking Clonmel by unknown vandals sometime before July 30th. A team of volunteers of the Holy Year Cross Committee in Clonmel had come up to the site to prepare it for the annual August bank holiday Monday mass when they discovered the graffiti. Gardaí investigated the incident.
Fire in Historic Evangelical Church
July 30, 2019, GermanyConstruction workers noticed the smell of burning wood and smoke when they arrived at the Nikolaus-Kirchlein ("little church") in Buchenberg, Königsfeld in the Black Forest in the morning of the 30th of July. They alerted firefighters who were able to extinguish the fire before too much damage was done. The more than 800-year-old church remained mostly unscathed, as only one pew was damaged by the fire. Police are estimating a property damage of 5,000 euros and speculate that the fire began in the area of the altar, but an investigation was opened.
Arson at St. Magnus Church at Schussenried Abbey
July 29, 2019, GermanyAn unknown arsonist set fire to a cloth in the St. Magnus church of the Schussenried Abbey in Bad Schussenried on July 29th. The fire then extended to pictures and a wooden cross nearby. A witness noticed the fire and was able to extinguish it. Police are investigating.
The Church in Corlay Was Looted And Vandalized
July 28, 2019, FranceOn Sunday 28th July, the Church of Corlay was looted and vandalized by unknown perpetrators. The vandals tore out a sealed trunk from the altar and emptied the contents, they also ripped off a painting and soiled the interior of the church, including the furniture, paving and choir floor, with a chemical fire extinguisher. In the region, there have already been a series of burglaries to churches, including Plélo, Saint-Brieuc, Saint-Quay-Portrieux, Uzel and Merdrignac.
Priest Brutally Assaulted in Szczecin Church
July 28, 2019, PolandA Catholic priest was beaten up just before celebrating Mass by three men in the sacristy of the Basilica of St. John the Baptist in Szczecin. One of the perpetrators apparently used a rosary as a "brass knuckle."
Church Hymnals Set On Fire
July 27, 2019, GermanyUnknown perpetrators set a row of hymnals on a shelf on fire in the St. Mauritius Catholic Church in Kippenheim in the early evening of July 27th. Witnesses noticed the fire and notified the police who were able to extinguish the fire and are now investigating.
Four Stations in Way of the Cross in Fatima Vandalized
July 26, 2019, PortugalFour of the 14 chapels of the Valinhos Way of the Cross or the Shepherd's Way in Fatima were vandalized with yellow spray paint during the night between July 25th and 26th. The unknown perpetrators sprayed the heads and intimate areas of the figures, along with obscene words. The Shrine of Fatima covered the chapels and will carry out the extensive cleaning work required to remove the paint.
Break-in And Theft in Augustdorf Church
July 26, 2019, GermanyUnknown burglars forcefully opened a door of a church in Augustdorf and stole the money from the offertory box for candles between July 26th and 27th.
Belgian Radio Station Promotes Festival with Provocative Poster
July 26, 2019, Belgium"Pure," a Belgian [French-speaking] public service radio station run by the RTBF, promoted a pop music festival with poster campaign with a sexualized image of a man and a woman, dressed with priest's collar and nun's head covering.
Judge Opens Proceedings Against "Pederoclastia" Installation
July 25, 2019, SpainThe Spanish Association of Christian Lawyers has sought a court order to shut down an artist’s installation entitled "Pederoclastia" that contains "ornaments used in Catholic worship" and "figures of children in explicitly sexual postures." The Association also said on July 19 that it would file a criminal complaint against artist Fernando Barredo de Valenzuela (who is also the coordinator for Toledo Laica) for offending religious sentiments and inciting hatred, and may take steps against the Círculo de Arte de Toledo for "attacking the feelings of Catholics." On July 25, Toledo’s Court of First Instance No 2 opened a preliminary investigation into the possibility that the case constituted corruption of minors but had not ordered the exhibition to be shut down.
Two Fires Intentionally Set in Autun Church
July 22, 2019, FranceAt 4:30 pm on July 22th, a parishioner noticed the smell of smoke emanating from the Notre-Dame church in Autun. When she entered the church, she discovered that two people were already there extinguishing the fire with their feet. The police reportedly found that there were two distinct fires set: one near the altar and the other near prayer chairs. An investigation is under way.
Graffiti on Church in Heiden
July 21, 2019, GermanyUnknown vandals vandalized large areas of St. Paulus Protestant Church's exterior in Heiden between July 21st and 22nd. They targeted a park bench, the church wall, six windows, and the surrounding bricks.
Man Arrested for Defacing more than 80 Graves with "666" in Church Cemetery
July 21, 2019, DenmarkA 46-year-old man was charged with spray-painting the number ‘666’ on 87 tombstones in a church cemetery in North Jutland, Denmark. Staff from the Hadsund Church noticed the damage on Sunday morning, July 21st. After an investigation, the man was arrested on July 24th after witnesses came forward. The man, who had been convicted of similar vandalism of a cemetery in 2016, denied responsibility for this incident.
Bells Stolen Of Two Chapels of Saint-Damase and Penitents
July 20, 2019, FranceDuring the night of Thursday to Friday, one bell of the chapel of Saint-Damase and another one from the 12th century of the chapel of the Penitents, which was renovated only two years ago, were stolen. Both bells weight at least 300 pounds each. The police are investigating and searching for witnesses.
Arson Suspected in Hyvinkää Old Church
July 19, 2019, FinlandIn the early hours of July 19th, a passer-by notified the fire department that the warehouse of the Old Church in Hyvinkää was in flames and the church building itself was also on fire. Due to the results of the preliminary investigation, the chief inspector suspected the fire was set intentionally and opened an arson investigation. The wooden church itself remained mostly intact, however, the storage facility housing gardening tools was completely destroyed by the fire.
Reformation Wall Vandalized with Rainbow Colors in Geneva
July 15, 2019, SwitzerlandThe monument, known as Reformation Wall, depicting Calvin, Farel, Bèze and Knox was covered in paint with the rainbow colors by unknown vandals on July 15th. The city filed a criminal complaint complaint.
Church and Chapel Vandalized in Quimper Diocese
July 14, 2019, FranceDuring Sunday Mass on the 14 of July, parishioners learned of vandalism in both the church and chapel of the Saint-Mathieu parish in Pays d'Iroise (diocese of Quimper, Finistère). In the church of Saint-Budoc à Porspoder damage included a vandalized offertory box, cigarettes left in front of the altar of the Blessed Virgin, the door of the sacristy obstructed by the insertion of gravel in the lock, and vomit in the holy water stoups. In the Chapelle Saint-Samson à Landunvez, the most photographed chapel in France, an offertory box was vandalized and a cross thrown in the trash.
Medieval Norfolk Church Torched by Arson
July 12, 2019, United KingdomOn July 12th, firefighters were called to a fire at St. Margaret's Ruined Church in Hopton after a motorbike was set on fire underneath the 13th century building. While the incident was ruled an arson by officials, the investigation was closed in October due to lack of evidence.
Repeated Vandalism and Thefts in the Parish Church of Mainz
July 12, 2019, GermanyThe parish church in Ingelheim has repeatedly been the target of severe vandalism, as reported on the 12th of July 2019. The acts included cigarette ash in the confessional, holy water basins filled with urine, candles lighted on the altar. The church was closed because of this abuse.
Paris: Vandalism in 13th Arrondissement Church
July 11, 2019, FranceAn unknown person intentionally set off the alarm in the church of Saint-Hippolyte in Paris around 9:30 am on July 11th and once the church was evacuated, took the opportunity to vandalize the payment terminals for church contributions (Denier de l’Église). As a result, the church restricted its opening hours to afternoons in July and August.
Man Arrested with Cans of Gasoline in Cathedral
July 8, 2019, FranceA man in his thirties was arrested on July 8th at around 7 pm, after he entered the cathedral of Sées with several cans of gasoline. Witnesses apprehended him and handed him over to the police. According to reports, the man, who suffers from psychological problems, was taken to the psychotherapeutic center of Orne for compulsory hospitalization. However no criminal prosecution will be launched against him. According to the public prosecutor, "there is a total absence of discernment. He is totally irresponsible ... No criminal action may be taken."
Two Suspicious Fires in Four Days in Bourg-Achard Church
July 2, 2019, FranceBetween June 26th and June 30th, two fires were discovered in the 13th century église Saint-Lô in Bourg-Achard (Eure). According to the police in charge of the investigation, there is a high probability that these two fires were deliberately set.
Spanish teenager given 6 months for death threat against Indian priest
June 26, 2019, SpainA juvenile court has sentenced a 16-year-old boy to six months in custody for racial slurs and for threatening to kill the parish priest, a native of India, in the Malaga provincial town of Benajarafe.
Vandals Decapitate Statue of Archbishop in Ireland
June 26, 2019, IrelandSometime between June 26th and 27th, unknown perpetrators beheaded the marble statue of former archbischop Patrick Leahy that is only a few meters away from the main entrance of the Cathdral of the Assumption in Thurles, County Tipperary, which is the cathedral church of the Roman Catholic Archdiocese of Cashel and Emly. The statue was 'an integral part of the heritage and fabric of the town of Thurles' according to superintendent Pat Murphyand and Irish police Gardaí, who are investigating and appealing for witnesses, described it as a 'wanton act of violence' to decapitate it and then steal the head.
Marseille Crucifix Vandalized for Third Time in Two Months
June 26, 2019, FranceThe crucifix monument on the grounds of the church of Saint-Patrice in the Croix-Rouge district was discovered defaced with red paint on June 26th. The Christ figure had been previously painted with blue paint twice in May.