All cases
Repeated Vandalism of The Figure of Jesus
May 24, 2020, SpainThe figure of Jesus in Andujar was vandalized several times. This already happened in 2013, 2017, and in 2019, where it was completely destroyed. In May 2020, it was finally restored by two artists.
Alsace: Two Vandalized Churches in Munster
May 23, 2020, FranceThe Catholic and Protestant churches, an ambulance company, the railway station, two banks and a sports complex were vandalized on the night of 22nd to 23rd May in Munster in le Haut-Rhin. Tags such as "Anarchie vaincera" (Anarchy will win) and the number "666" spray-painted in color were found. These damaging acts shocked and dismayed the inhabitants of the peaceful little town nestled in the heart of the Hautes-Vosges mountains. The gendarmerie launched an appeal for witnesses to find the perpetrators.
Church Lights and Room Vandalized
May 22, 2020, United KingdomOn 22nd May, lightning technicians had to visit the Trinity Church in Yarm Road, Stockton, because the lights were not working. Vandals had smashed the church lights, raided it, and put fire to the room, where the tools were stored.
Gironde: 55 Vandalized Graves in a Cemetery in Gujan-Mestras
May 21, 2020, FranceFifty-five graves in the church cemetery of Gujan-Mestras were damaged by vandals during the evening of May 21st. Crosses and crucifixes were broken, as well as plaques and flower pots. Police opened an investigation.
Calvary Destroyed in Assé-le-Béranger
May 20, 2020, FranceA witness reported to the Observatoire de la Christianophobie on May 20 that the calvary erected in front of the Assé-le-Béranger town hall of Assé-le-Béranger had been broken by a sledgehammer. Some inhabitants of the small village of 450 people interviewed by the witness expressed shock over this act of vandalism which is estimated to have occurred in the previous two weeks.
Vandalism at St. Peter and Paul Church
May 20, 2020, GermanyOn 20th May in the evening, an unknown perpetrator devastated the St. Peter and Paul Church in Mühlburg, Karlsruhe. The unknown perpetrator spilled wax over the Figure of Mary, the wall, and the floor of the church. He also torn flowers from the wall and spread them all over the floor. It also looked like he tried to set fire to a wooden rack. The estimated damage is around a thousand euro. Witnesses are asked to report clues to the police.
Installation of CCTV After Repeated Vandalism At Church
May 20, 2020, United KingdomAfter repeated vandalism at St. Mary Magdalene Church in New Milton, the Church will install CCTV Cameras along with the reparation of their windows. In the past, a thanksgiving memorial service was interrupted by teenagers banging on the windows and a stone was thrown through a car's rear window when the teenagers were confronted.
Desecration and Theft in Saint-Jean-des-Cordeliers Church
May 19, 2020, FranceOn May 19th, desecration and theft were committed in the church of Saint-Jean-des-Cordeliers in Bergerac, Dordogne. The tabernacle and the ciborium were forced and the consecrated hosts inside were stolen. Other valuable objects were left there, so it indicates that this was an act of vandalism. The parish priest filled a complaint.
Robbery With Violence In the Church Notre-Dame des Pins
May 16, 2020, FranceA forty-year-old man violently broke into the church of Notre-Dame des Pins in Cannes to steal donations. He also beat up a volunteer.
Saint Boniface Statue Vandalized with Anti-Christian Graffiti
May 16, 2020, United KingdomResidents of Crediton (Devon) have expressed their disgust after the statue of St. Boniface was targeted by vandals. The graffiti, scrawled across the base of the statue, reads: "God is dead. Pagan justice."
Repeated Arson at Church An Maria Waldrast in Krefeld
May 16, 2020, GermanyOn May 16th, unknown perpetrators set fire to the memorial altar in the church An Maria Waldrast in Krefeld. Previous arson attempts had been reported to the police in February and March 2020. The police are investigating and suspects an intentional arson. A volunteer at the church discovered the fire and was able to extinguish it with another witness. There was no damage and no one was injured.
Church on Lesbos Island is Trashed And Used as Toilet
May 15, 2020, GreeceOn the 15th of May, a Facebook User and local from Moria posted images of Saint Catherine Church on Lesbos, which is being used as a bathroom. He reported that the smell inside was terrible, and that the metropolitan of Mytilene is aware of the situation but did not act or deal with it. Volunteers have offered to restore the Church.
Vandalisation and Damage to The Church at Montpezat-de-Quercy
May 15, 2020, FranceOn the night of Friday 15th to Saturday 16th, several persons entered the small Church of Pilou in Montpezat-de-Quercy. A bar of one of the windows of the sacristy was also loosened so that someone could get in. The candles and other pieces of plastic were burned. The perpetrators also used the cassocks and priestly clothing and put them on the crosses. The police were informed.
Theft in the Cathedral of Wiener Neustadt
May 15, 2020, AustriaOn the first day that the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown was lifted, unknown perpetrators gained access to the Cathedral of Wiener Neustadt on May 15th. They stole a statue known as the "Prager Jesulein," a Jesus statue with a golden crown from 1750, from the Trinity Altar. They then went on to the Mariazeller Altar on the opposite side and stole two crowns from a statue of Mary and Jesus. Both statues were placed inside of glass showcases. The theft did not cause much monetary loss, as the crowns were cheap replicas, but rather a cultural loss. This was not the first theft the church had to endure.
Hate Crime Against St. Mary Catholic Church Church
May 15, 2020, United KingdomOn the night of Friday 15th to Saturday, St. Mary Catholic Church in Ahoghill was attacked with paint thrown in front of the church and across the door. The police is treating the incident as a hate crime.
Graffiti on Gazzadina Church and the School of Vigo Meano
May 15, 2020, ItalyOn the night between 15th and 16th May, unknown perpetrators smeared a series of writings in the buildings of Vigo Meano and Gazzadina. The Parish Church of Gazzadina and the School of Vigo Meano were targeted. The wall facing west, and the wall of the sacristy were smeared with spray paint. The police started an investigation using the security cameras.
Smashed Display Window and Graffiti on St. Martini Church
May 15, 2020, GermanyOn the weekend of 15th and 16th May, unknown perpetrators smeared the showcase of St. Martini parish. They used black paint and left anarchist symbols on it. The police are looking for witnesses to this case and two other vandalism cases occurred on the same weekend. The Martini parish was led by the pastor Olaf Latzel, who was prosecuted in October 2019 for his comments on homosexuality and marriage. The Church had been vandalized several times before.
Thisnes Church Vandalized
May 13, 2020, BelgiumOn the 13th May, the church of Thisnes in Hannut has been victim of several acts of vandalism. Consequently, the church will be equipped with video surveillance systems.
Two Brutal Thefts within 48 Hours in Two Churches in Freising
May 12, 2020, GermanyTwice within 48 hours in mid-May, unknown perpetrators committed burglaries in Freising churches. They gained access to the buildings in an extremely brutal manner and caused great damage - but the value of the loot is low, in one case nothing was stolen. In order to gain access to various rooms, the perpetrator(s) also destroyed several window panes, among other things. According to initial estimates, the resulting property damage amounts to around 5,000 euros, disproportionally outweighing the cost of the stolen objects.
Covid-19 Regulations Did Not Allow Church Services Compared to Other Services
May 11, 2020, FranceThe Christian Democratic Party has filed an appeal with the Council of State to obtain permission to hold services before the end of May. Jean Frédéric Poisson requested the infringement of the fundamental freedom of worship. Small businesses, such as hairdressing salons, were given permission to operate, while religious services were not. He also asked for the re-establishment of worship services in the low-risk departments.
Destruction of the Summit Crucifix of Pic Saint-Loup near Montpellier
May 10, 2020, FranceBetween the evening of May 9th and and the morning of May 10th, unidentified vandals cut down the emblematic summit crucifix of Pic Saint-Loup at its base. The iron cross overlooking Montpellier, which weighs 900 kg and is nearly ten meters high, was reportedly detached with a blowtorch or drills and left hanging over the 658 meters from the top of the peak. Inscriptions in red paint reading "Larcins des sorcières hérétiques" (crimes of heretical witches", "Le Pic Laïque" (the secular peak), and "Witch Power" (in English) were left on the pedestal. Police are investigating.
Theft Of a Relic at Saint-Antoine in Gers
May 10, 2020, FranceSince Sunday 10th May, the Gendarmes has been investigating the theft of the Relic of Anthony the Great from the church of Saint-Anthony in Gers. The Relic is from the 15th century and is a silver-plated copper reliquary that represents the arm of Saint Anthony, which also contains the ossicles of a finger of the Saint.
The Brotherhoods of Cordoba Denounced Unfair Treatment by The Police in a Mass
May 10, 2020, SpainAfter a Mass was held on Sunday 10th May in the Brotherhood of the Virgen de la Cabeza. The police reported five parishioners who assisted the Mass. The Association of Brotherhoods of Córdoba have expressed their support to the Brotherhood and the organizer of the mass. The Brotherhood denounced an unfair treatment, given that the Mass was legally allowed and the requisites were met.
Parish Priest Fined for Celebrating Mass with Thirty People inside Church
May 10, 2020, SpainOn May 10th, municipal police fined the rector of Lloret for saying Mass with about thirty people inside the church. The priest, Martirià Brugada, however, defended his actions and, in fact, finished the Mass with the parishioners outside the church and the windows open.
Theft in the Coptic Orthodox Church St. Athanasius and St. Moritz in Münster-Sarmsheim
May 10, 2020, GermanyUnknown perpetrators broke into the Coptic Orthodox Church of St. Athanasius and St. Moriz. According to police reports on May 14th, the incident occurred on May 10th at about 1:30 pm. The police located marks on the front and back doors, where the perpetrators had tried to enter the church. Finally they smashed a roof window and climbed into the church. They ransacked all the rooms, damaged various objects and stole two incense burners.
Man Destroyed Windows of Church And Damaged Wall
May 10, 2020, PolandOn the 10th of May at night , the 38-year-old destroyed the windows of stained-glass and damaged the church wall in Sanok. He also destroyed two cars parked between the church and the rectory. He was captured by the witnesses and was held until the police arrived. The man was taken into custody.
Vandalism in Schelklingen
May 10, 2020, GermanyTwo 16- and one 18-year-old allegedly went on the rampage in Schelklingen over the weekend. They are accused of causing several damages, including 1000 euro damage. Police are looking for witnesses.
Vandalism of the Blessed Virgin Mary Church and Priest Insulted During Mass
May 9, 2020, PolandOn May 9th and May 15th, a man profaned the church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Dabrowa Tarnowska and insulted the priest. He intentionally interrupted the services as well as went to the rectory and insulted one of the priests. The clergy felt earlier unprotected by the police and thought of putting private vigilance. This time the police reacted effectively and following investigation, they arrested the 42 year-old perpetrator. The court will keep him in custody for three months.
The Sainte-Jeanne-d'Arc de Menton Chapel Vandalized
May 8, 2020, FranceOn Friday 8th May, Dorian Aussel discovered an obscene drawing painted on the freshly painted wall by the front door of the Chapel Sainte-Jeanne-d'Arc in Menton. The perpetrators are unknown, but still Dorian Aussel, who is in charge of the Chapel, filed a complaint.
The Roof of a Chapel in Urville-Nacqueville Damaged
May 7, 2020, FranceOn 7th May, it was noted that the lower part of the stone roof of the Chapel Nacqueville-Haut has been damaged. The chapel was on ongoing reparations. It has also been discovered that the door was forced and someone attempted to break in. Around one square meter of the roof was removed. Three months ago in the same town, the cemetery had been also damaged.
Several Desecrated Churches on The Island of Lesbos
May 7, 2020, GreeceSeveral cases of extreme desecration and vandalization of Greek orthodox Churches have been reported in the last months between March and September 2020, mostly in Moria and the vicinity. These churches include the Church of the Virgin Mary of Tsiradou, The Church of Saint Raphael, The Church of Saint Catherine and the Church of Saint George. The Government of Hungary has given 30 000 Euros to restore the churches on the island of Lesbos.
Cornerstone Adoption and Fostering Service Seeks Judicial Review after Ofsted Downgrade
May 7, 2020, United KingdomThe High Court in Leeds held a judicial review of the watchdog Ofsted’s actions against Cornerstone Adoption and Fostering Service in North East England on the 6th and 7th of May. The Christian fostering agency took the government regulator to court for downgrading Cornerstone’s fostering service from “Good” to “Requires Improvement.”
Police Arrested Man after Church Window Smashed With Bias
May 7, 2020, United KingdomOn 7th May in Glasgow, a 53-year-old man smashed the window of a church. The police captured and arrested the man for vandalism attack labelled as "motivated by prejudice".
Desecration and Suspected Theft in Saint-Antoine Chapel in Bourg-en-Bresse
May 6, 2020, FranceIn the night of May 6 to 7 during the confinement, unknown perpetrators broke into the Saint-Antoine chapel in Bourg-en-Bresse. The parish priest found consecrated hosts scattered across the floor on the following morning. It was suspected that at least one chalice had been stolen as well.
Desecrated Tombs in the Eastern Cemetery, Crosses Torn Off And Thrown To The Ground
May 6, 2020, FranceOn 6. May, the eastern cemetery was found desecrated. Twenty-one wooden crosses were torn down and thrown to the ground. The cemetery was closed due to the Pandemic, which gave the opportunity for the perpetrators to vandalize it. The mayor condemned the desecration and announced that Nice would file a complaint to the police.
Abortion Images Banned After Pro-Life Campaign in Town Square
May 6, 2020, United KingdomOn 6th May, a judge ruled that the display of abortion images was a visual equivalent of "shouting into a person's face", and was, therefore, right to ban it. The pro-life organizer Mr. Hacking was given a community protection notice forbidding him the display of large photos of a fetus. The reasons were that people felt distressed and emotionally, mentally or even physically harmed through the images of the aborted fetus. Mr. Hacking said, that the real victim isn't the viewer who is negatively impacted by the visualization, but rather the unborn child.
Salzburg Catholic Organization Targeted with "Pro Choice" Vandalism
May 5, 2020, AustriaThe cars belonging to the Catholic initiative, HOME Mission Base Salzburg, were sprayed with "Pro Choice" and the windows were smashed by unknown vandals.
Wooden Cross in Church Courtyard Set on Fire
May 5, 2020, GermanyUnknown persons set fire to a three-meter-high wooden cross in the inner courtyard of the parish hall of the Catholic parish Edith Stein in Ludwigshafen during the night from May 4th to 5th. The main pillar was scorched by the fire. The police estimate the damage at 200 euros.
Three Meter Cross is Set on Fire in a Parish House in Ludwigshafen
May 5, 2020, GermanyBetween Monday 4th May and Tuesday 5th May, unknown individuals set fire to a wooden cross in the courtyard of the parish house of the Catholic parish of Edith-Stein in Ludwigshafen. The cross was three meters high, which was completely burnt and caused damage of around 200 Euro. The police started the investigations.
Mayor Decided to Close the Church and Forbids Entry
May 5, 2020, FranceOn Sunday 5th April,in the church of Saint-Martin in Menetou Ratel an anti-Catholic incident occurred. A family who wished to enter the church for meditation and prayer was forbidden the entry, as the mayor decided to close the church until further notice .
Graffiti About Burning the Church on The Parish of Santa María Magdalena
May 5, 2020, SpainOn 5ht May, the façade of the church of St. Mary Magdalene was painted with some graffitis: ''The only Church that illuminates is the one that burns" and an anarchist symbol.'' The priest Fr. Lozano found this painting on the wall next morning and posted a video to share his reflection on what happened and the readings that we can extract from them.
Cemetery Devastated Several Times in Martinique
May 5, 2020, FranceThe days before 5th May, the Riviere-Salée cemetery was repeatedly devastated by unknown vandals. Several vaults were damaged, the locks were forced, the doors were displaced, and the flowers were overturned. There were also bottles and garbage on the ground. The fence surrounding the cemetery was gaping. Therefore, there is a high probability that the perpetrators came during the night. The police are investigating.
The Olárizu Cross Painted with Graffiti in Vitoria
May 3, 2020, SpainOn the 3rd of May, the Cross of Olarizu was sighted with Graffitis of the symbol of the left political party, the words "feminism", "socialism" and "independence". The Cross had also been severely damaged in 2018, the perpetrators said it belonged to the past.
Theft of All Equipment for Online Church Service in Wermelskirchen
May 3, 2020, GermanyUnknown perpetrators stole all of the technical equipment of the Protestant Free Church in Dabringhausen on May 4th, which was vital in times of COVID-19 in order to be able to provide Sunday service online to the church community. The police presumed that the perpetrator must have had a car to transport all of the equipment and probably let him- or herself lock in, in the church on the evening before because no indication for a break-in was found. It is difficult for the church to quickly organize and finance new equipment, so that the online-service is not stopped for too long and also the re-opening of the church for small groups is halted due to police investigations at the church venue.
Arson with Gasoline at Village Church Caused Serious Damage
May 3, 2020, FranceIn the village Marais-la-Chapelle, during the night of 2nd to 3rd May, an arson attack took place in the entrance of the Church. The firefighters were called by a resident. There were traces of fuel detected in the findings. The oak door was destroyed and the flower pots melted, the interior of the church was blackened by the smoke, and the electrical structure was damaged.
Statue of Our Lady of Lourdes Destroyed
May 3, 2020, FranceOn the 3rd of May, in Munster, some vandals destroyed the statue of Our Lady of Lourdes. A cross has already been vandalised in this town in 2018.
Evangelicals Harassed and workers Discriminated Against
May 3, 2020, SpainThe Federation of Evangelical Entities of Spain (FEREDE) has denounced a ‘fierce media harassment’ on faithful as well as pastors in the churches in Torrejón de Ardoz. It has also denounced all forms of discrimination that the workers have been facing for their confession. The data provided by Health on the coronavirus had also denied that the COVID-19 cases are linked to evangelical churches in Torrejón.
Burglary at the Secours Catholique in Vallée-du-Tir
May 2, 2020, FranceIn New Caledonia, the Headquarters of the Charity of catholic organization Secours Catholique, was raided during the weekend of 2. and 3. May. The thieves broke down the doors, smashed the walls and ceiling. They stole computers, food and clothing. The attack destroyed 10 years of the association's work. The organization's headquarters were also ransacked for the first time in September 2019.
Chapel of Calvary Burned Down in Hautmont
May 2, 2020, FranceThe Chapel of Calvary was burned down during the night of 1st and 2nd May by unknown perpetrators. The same chapel was already vandalized in August 2016.
Smashed Windows of the Church in Frankenau
May 2, 2020, GermanyIn Frankenau, unknown perpetrators smashed the windows of the Church. The windows were discovered on 2nd May by the women who worked in the herb garden. This was the first case of vandalism in this church. The police is looking for the perpetrators and asking for clues. They suspect that the damage was made by a slingshot and a thick stone.