All cases
Theft of Statue of the Virgin Mary in Dorsten
March 27, 2020, GermanyOn March 25th a statue of the Virgin Mary was stolen from the St. Antonius church in Dorsten. CCTV captured a couple entering the church and stealing the relic. The police is investigating and asking the public for help to find the statue, as it has a high ideational value for the parish.
Significant Vandalism in St. Michael Kirche
March 26, 2020, GermanyBetween 6:00 and 7:20 pm on the evening of March 26th, an unknown perpetrator vandalized the St. Michael Kirche on Kämpenstraße in Versmold. A shelf with Easter candles was knocked over, and the candles were scattered throughout the church. A large glass sanctuary lamp with the eternal flame candle was destroyed and a microphone was torn out of the ambo. The police are investigating and searching for witnesses.
Protestant Church In Dreieichenhain Vandalised
March 25, 2020, GermanyBetween Tuesday evening and Wednesday afternoon, three windows of the Protestant church in the Fahrgasse in Dreieichenhain were damaged by an unknown perpetrator. Two windows had a hole and the glass of the third one was cracked. The damage amounts to 500 euros. The police are investigating and searching for witnesses.
An Angel Statue Vandalised
March 25, 2020, PolandIn the night of March 25th, two wooden statues; one of an angel and the other of a woman, were damaged in Kadzidlin. An unknown person cut off the wing of the angel standing by the building of the Municipal Library as well as the upper part of the woman`s figure. The whole damage amounts to 4.000 zlotys. A 43-year-old was caught and admitted the crime using a petrol saw. According to the Criminal Code, the crime committed by the 43-year-old man for unknown reasons is punishable by up to 5 years in prison.
Offensive Graffiti on Church Door in Poznań
March 25, 2020, PolandThe main entrance door of the church on Dąbrówki Street in Poznań was smeared by an unknown perpetrator during the night of March 24th to March 25th. An anarchist "A" symbol was sprayed on a pillar and the phrase "zdejmij suknię śmieciu" This roughly translates to: "take off your dress, punk" in blue paint was sprayed on the church. The police are investigating and searching for witnesses.
Graffiti On Door Of The Church Saint-Hermeland
March 25, 2020, FranceIn the night between March 25th and March 26th, a graffiti with the slogan "Vive le marriage libre" (Long live free marriage) was sprayed on the door of the church of Saint-Hermeland in Loire-Atlantique. The police immediately identified the perpetrator, a well-known militant in anarchist circles.
Anti-Christian Graffiti On The Church of Bouguenais
March 25, 2020, FranceOn 25th March in Bouguenais, graffities were discovered on the walls of the city and the entrance of the church with hostile phrases saying "Save a Life, cough up a policeman", "Hang the Priests and Hang the Counts" and "No God, No Father, No Mother".
Vandalism in Cemetery of Wysokie: Broken Crosses and Plates
March 25, 2020, PolandAround the end of March, a 22-year-old perpetrator entered the cemetery in Wysokie and devastated three graves. He destroyed plates, torn off the crosses and broke them and damaged the flacons, he also smashed the candles all over the cemetery. The total damage was estimated to be over 4.700 Zlotys. The police officers arrested the young man. In Niepolomice, the officers detained also a 28-year-old man in Podłęże for a similar crime.
Church and Oratory Vandalized and Desecrated In Two Consecutive Days
March 24, 2020, ItalyOn the 24th March, the ancient precious monstrance and a chalice were stolen from the local church in Ariano. The thieves attacked the religious building by smashing the windows and doors, overturning the crucifix and throwing consecrated hosts on the floor. The unknown perpetrators broke in through the side entrance after failing to use the main entrance. The community of Crociara was in shock after this incident. On the next day 25th March, the municipality of Corbola was also attacked, the sports field was damaged and the Oratory of Corbola was raided. The scene was similar as in Crociara, the windows and doors were broken and burglary took place.
Evangelical Church Dorfkirche Vandalized
March 24, 2020, GermanyIn the afternoon of March 24th, a 43-year-old man broke into the evangelical church Dorfkirche in the district of Karow in Berlin and destroyed the interior. The man climbed up to the organ loft and shouted incomprehensible words, probably in a foreign language. When the police tried to arrest him he pushed them back, threatened them with a wooden plank and went on vandalizing the church. The police reinforcement was finally able to arrest the man and took him to a psychiatric hospital. The reason for this crime is unknown.
The Church in The District of Pankow Vandalized
March 24, 2020, GermanyOn Tuesday 24th March, a 43-year-old man devastated a Church with wooden slats and hit the police officers. The man first damaged the interior of the building and then went to the organ balcony, and shouted incomprehensible words. When the police approached, he hit them with the wooden slat and continued to destroy the church furniture. The officers called reinforcements and were able to arrest the man and took him to a psychiatric hospital.
Religious Statues Stoned by Vandals
March 23, 2020, ItalyAround March 15th, unknown perpetrators stoned the statues of the Virgin Mary and Pope John Paul II placed next to the entrance of the church San Martino in Magnago.
Theft from Church in Mantes-La-Ville
March 23, 2020, FranceWhile France is subject to lockdown measures related to the coronavirus, thieves stole three video projectors and the money collected during Masses from the safe in the church of Sacré-Cœur in Mantes-la-Ville on March 23rd.
Small thefts from the Church of Mantes-la-Ville During the Confinement
March 23, 2020, FranceOn the 23rd of March, unknown thieves stole video projectors and money during the quests. The amount of the theft remains unknown.
Two Churches In Laubenheim Vandalised
March 22, 2020, GermanyTwo window panels and one element at the back window of the protestant church in Laubenheim have been broken. A lead glass element at the Catholic church and a large pane at the community center have been damaged too. The perpetrator had shared the committed crime on Facebook before being arrested by the police. The damage was repaired within two weeks, but the costs were tremendous.
A Historic Chapel in Wachtberg-Werthoven Defaced
March 22, 2020, GermanyAround the 20th March, the Jakobus Chapel in the Village of Wachtberg-Werthhoven was defaced with graffiti by unknown vandals. Hate messages like "ACAB" (All Cops Are Bastards) or "Fuck AfD" were written on the walls and the door. There were also combinations of numbers and other signs. The oak door of the Chapel had been repaired by volunteers the year before. The police started investigating, as similar acts took place in neighbouring villages.
Dąbrowa Górnicza Church Desecrated
March 21, 2020, PolandOn March 21stM a drunk 41-year-old man broke into the church of Dąbrowa Górnicza and profaned the historic altars of Our Lady of the Angels. The man was stopped by priests and put under arrest by the police.
After Arson In 2015 Luther Church Targeted by Criminals Again
March 21, 2020, GermanyIn the night between March 21th and March 22th, unknown perpetrators tried to break into the Luther church in Altena. They were able to unhinge the large and heavy oak door, but the criminal act was disturbed by the security alarm. Nothing was stolen, but the police are investigating and searching for witnesses.
Fire Set in Saint Anna Church
March 21, 2020, GermanyAn unknown person set fire to the seat cushion of a wooden prayer bench in the Catholic Church of Saint Anna in Blieskastel-Biesingen. This incident happened between the evening of March 21st and the afternoon of March 22. The police are investigating and searching for witnesses.
Nativity Figures Stolen from a Church
March 21, 2020, GermanyUnknown perpetrators broke into the Evangelical church on the Ringstraße in Aldekerk, Kerken through a broken window between the evening of March 21st and the morning of the 22nd. They searched several cupboards and stole two nativity figures, before fleeing in an unknown direction. The police are investigating.
Church Window Broken With A Whisky Bottle
March 21, 2020, GermanyAn unknown perpetrator threw a whisky bottle at a window of the protestant church Mainz-Laubenheim and broke it. The police are investigating and searching for witnesses.
Burglary In Catholic Sacristy in Reichenbach-Steegen
March 21, 2020, GermanyBetween Saturday 21th evening and Monday 30th morning unknown thieves stole cash and chalices from the sacristy of the Catholic church in Reichenbach-Steegen. The chalices are sacred and used for holding religious services. The police are investigating and searching for witnesses.
Vandalism of Church in Italy Despite Quarantine
March 20, 2020, ItalyThe coronavirus quarantine did not prevent the vandalism of a church: during the night between March 20th and March 21st, the church of Santa Restituta in Sora was defaced with black and red spray paint.
Chick-fil-A Closes its Reading restaurant
March 20, 2020, United KingdomIn October 2019, the American restaurant Chick-fil-A signed a six-month lease and opened a franchise in The Oracle shopping center in Reading. LGBT protesters promptly began a "Get the Chick Out" boycott campaign, due to the company's previous support of a Christian charity which opposed same-sex marriage. The company indicated that the closure was part of its strategy of opening "pilot license locations“ with limited menus in partnership with local organizations to test the waters while expanding.
Smashed Window Of Family Church
March 19, 2020, IrelandBetween March 19th and March 21thm some children broke the window of the Family church in Youghal into pieces. This act of vandalism is a disappointment for the local community.
Heavy Damage after Break-in at Schwalbach Church
March 19, 2020, GermanyAt around two in the morning on February 19th, two perpetrators broke into a church in Schwalbach am Taunus and leaving at least 5,000 euros in damage. They destroyed a glass pane in the rear area, pried open the main entrance and broke open several doors and cupboards made out of wood and glass. It was unclear whether anything was stolen. A witness reported observing two men fleeing the church (about 1.70 meters tall, Mediterranean looking and darkly dressed). The police are investigating.
Man Arrested for Norway Church Fires
March 19, 2020, NorwayPolice arrested and charged a man in his 20s for a church fire in Dombås and attempted arson at a church in Sel. The man admitted criminal charges. "He has stated as a reason for the actions that he was angry and cursed because [he heard that] a Norwegian man set fire to the Koran without the police having done anything about it," Hedmarken district court wrote in the ruling.
Glasgow: Anti-Catholic Words Hurled at Nurse
March 19, 2020, United KingdomA nurse in Glasgow, was met with the words "f****** Catholic," from the woman she was trying to help. The incident happened at Queen Elizabeth University Hospital and was heard of in the Glasgow Sheriff Court.
Swastika Sprayed On Church Walls In Germany
March 18, 2020, GermanyA swastika, various words, and symbols were painted on the walls of the Luther church in Oberfrohna with a sharp point pen and red paint spray between March 18th 7:15 am. and March 19th 1.30 pm. The police are investigating and searching for witnesses.
All Saints Church Vandalised
March 18, 2020, United KingdomBetween 4:00 pm on Wednesday and 8.20 am on Thursday, an unknown perpetrator broke into the popular All Saints Church and damaged the interior. Crockery was broken, a leaflet table was turned over, and bandages from a first-aid box were laying all over the floor.
Graffitis Sprayed On The Jakobus Chapel
March 18, 2020, GermanyIn the night of Wednesday, unknown perpetrators sprayed several Graffitis in red and black paint on the walls of Jakobus chapel in Wachtberg-Werthhoven. Combinations of numbers, curious characters, letters like "A.C.A.B." and "Fuck AfD" were sprayed on the walls and on the door of the religious building. The damage is high, and the police are investigating.
Saint-Laurent Church Stained Glass Windows Smashed
March 17, 2020, BelgiumOn March 17th unknown people threw stones at the stained glass windows of the Saint-Laurent church in Piétrebais and broke them. According to reports, the church's windows have been targeted by vandals during the school holidays over the past four years, resulting in more than 16,000 euros in damage.
Parent's of 13-year-old Girl Complain to School For Mentoring Their Child Into Thinking She Is Transgender
March 17, 2020, United KingdomThe Parents of the 13-year-old girl accused the school of allowing mentoring sessions with the Head of the LGBT group, trained by Eikon Organization. The girl showed no signs of gender dysphoria until September 2019, and was comfortable in her body. By November, she had cut her hair and said she identified as a boy. In the school, she was then called by male pronouns and allowed to use men’s bathroom. The parents were not informed about the identity change of their child, until they accidently found out in a meeting. The teaching assistant also gave the teenager a YouTube website of a trans activist, where he showed his mastectomy scars and told how well the operation had gone. The girl was then sent to a psychologist, who also didn't approve the mentoring of the school.
Unjust Stigmatization of Evangelicals in France
March 17, 2020, FranceOn Tuesday 17th March, the Prefect of the Grand Est and the Bas Rhin, Josiane Chevalier, questioned on the France Inter Program the responsibility of the Christian Church Open Door in Mulhouse (Haut Rhin) for the propagation of Covid-19. Her speech offended many evangelicals, who did not accept to be stigmatized by his remarks. She implied that the church meetings were irresponsible, although the last big meeting of Christians happened in February, before the lockdown was announced.
Arson at Historic Church of Saint-Apollinaire
March 16, 2020, FranceOn March 16th, unidentified perpetrators set fire to the church Saint-Apollinaire built in the 12th century in Meximieux in eastern France. The fire was extinguished by local firefighters and police arrested the arsonists, but still the church will be closed to the public until further notice.
Unknown Perpetrators Damaged Protestant Church in Usingen
March 16, 2020, GermanyBetween Monday 16th and Tuesday 17th unknown vandals broke a window on the west side of the Protestant Laurentius church in Usingen. They also damaged two glass doors on the tower portal, but they failed to destroy them completely.
Perpetrator Broke Windows of Oerlinghausen-Helpup Church
March 16, 2020, GermanyIn the night between Monday 16th and Tuesday 17th, an unknown person broke two windows of the church in Oerlinghausen-Helpup. The police are investigating.
Conversion Therapy Now iIlegal In Germany
March 16, 2020, GermanyA new law was proposed from the Christian Democrats in February 2020 that prohibits conversion therapy defined as "all therapy carried out on human beings which are aimed at changing or suppressing sexual orientation of self-perceived gender identity". The law is already in use since June 2020.
Arson in the church of Saint-Apollinaire
March 16, 2020, FranceOn the 18th March, the Church of Saint-Apollinaire in Meximieux was set on fire. The parish priest used the Facebook page of the parish to report the incident. Unknown vandals set fire to the press table at the back of the collegiate church. The parish priest filled a complain and the perpetrators got quickly arrested.
Graffiti Sprayed on Göttschied Church Walls
March 15, 2020, GermanyDuring the night between March 15th and March 16th unknown perpetrators sprayed graffiti on the walls of the Protestant Abteikirche in Göttschied (Idar-Oberstein). Police are investigating
Theft In Protestant Church
March 15, 2020, GermanyOn Sunday March 15th, unknown perpetrators broke into the church in the Breitsitterstraße and broke a window and stole 15 euros and five confirmation candles. The damage amounts to 500 euros.
Armenian Genocide Memorial Desecrated
March 15, 2020, FranceThe Armenian Genocide Memorial in Lyon, consisting of 36 columns with inscriptions of poems from Gostan Zarian, was vandalized with anarchist and anti-Macron slogans. The monument is in memory of the 500 000 Armenians who were murdered by the "Young Turks" government. This criminal act is a serious offense against the victims and the humanity. The Coordinating Council of Armenian Organizations in France called for a surveillance system to prevent any recurrence. The police are investigating and looking for the perpetrators.
Church Set on Fire by 3 Children
March 15, 2020, GermanyAn attentive witness told the police that he discovered a burning flyer on a wooden bench in the church. The witness managed to successfully extinguish it. Three children, aged between 12 and 13 years, are suspected to be the arsonists. They were subsequently handed over to their respective legal guardians. Police Kelheim does not yet have any concrete information about the damage caused.
Break In and Damage at Church in Meerane
March 14, 2020, GermanyBetween March 14th and March 21th unknown perpetrators broke into the church am Rotenberg in Meerane. Interestingly nothing was stolen, nevertheless the caused damage amounts to 1000 euros.
Arson At Notre-Dame-Souverainaine-Du-Monde Church
March 13, 2020, FranceAn arson was committed at the entrance of the church of Notre-Dame-Souverainaine-Du-Monde in France by two young people. They started the fire with petrol before fleeing the crime scene. Neighbours instantly extinguished the fire, which led to minor damage.
Vandalism and Arson In Acquate Church
March 13, 2020, ItalyOn March the 14th, the glass of the front door of the church of Acquate in Italy was found broken and the wooden part burned. The perpetrators also knocked an information pillar for tourists on the churchyard over.
Grimmark And Steen Lost Case Of European Court Of Human Rights
March 12, 2020, SwedenThe European Court of Human Rights had refused to consider the case of two fully trained midwives who had been denied employment in Sweden over their refusal to perform abortions. The midwives, Ellinor Grimmark and Linda Steen, claim that this necessity to carry out abortions was violating their freedom of conscience, dictated by their Christian faith. The European Court announced that the two Swedish cases were inadmissible.
British Supreme Court Rejects Hearing Ms. Dulgheriu`s Case against Prayer Ban
March 12, 2020, United KingdomWhen Alina Dulgheriu got pregnant she received help from a now-banned pro-life group in front of an abortion centre. She now fights against a Public Protection Order (PSPO), which prohibits any kind of pro-life activity including peaceful protests, the offer of counseling and silent prayer within 100-meters around an abortion facility in the London Borough of Ealing. But the British Supreme Court has now announced that it will not hear appeal on clinic buffer zone. She is now considering all her options including an appeal to the European Court of Human Rights in Strasbourg.
Statue of Virgin Mary Vandalized
March 11, 2020, ItalyThe statue of the Virgin of the Church of Rio Salso in Tavullia was vandalized with a fake joint and cartridge taped on the figure's mouth and hand on March 11th.
Twenty Bronze Candelabra Stolen
March 11, 2020, FranceDuring November 26th 2019 and March 5th 2020, about twenty bronze candelabra from several churches in Valence, Loriol and Bourg-lès-Valence were stolen by a 25-year-old man from Lorolese. He was arrested on March 10th by the police, admitted the crime and brought before the magistrate from the Valence public prosecutor's office on the morning March 11th.