All cases
Christian Statues Stolen from Cemetery
May 10, 2019, FranceThree metal, meter-high, statues of Christian figures were stolen off their granite pedestals in a family plot in the cemetery of Argenton-les-Vallées (Deux-Sèvres). Police are investigating.
UPDATE: Suspect Arrested for Arson in Equihen-Plage Church Sacristy
May 9, 2019, FranceAs a result of a forensic investigation into the origin of a fire that broke out around 6 am on May 5th in the sacristy of the church of Equihen-Plage, a man was arrested on May 9th and sentenced to four and a half years in prison (18 months suspended sentence and three years on probation). The 34-year-old confessed to having set the fire as well as having robbed churches in La Capelle-lès-Boulogne, Wimille, and attempting to rob a church in Boulogne. He said he also had tried to set those churches on fire, but without success. The damage to the Equihen-Plage was extensive, estimated at around 340,000 euros.
Sussex Church Suffers Repeated Vandalism
May 9, 2019, United KingdomIn the latest in a series of vandalism incidents at the St John the Evangelist church in Copthorne, the Victorian gate memorial to World War I veterans in the churchyard was kicked in and broken. The Churchwarden reported that this was the latest in a string of incidents at the village church. Police are investigating.
Activists Block University Christians' Event in Göttingen
May 9, 2019, GermanyActivists prevented a planned lecture by the gynecologist Michael Kiworr (Mannheim) on 8 May at the Georg-August-Universität Göttingen.
Break-in and Attempted Burglary in Two Hesse Churches
May 8, 2019, GermanyDuring the afternoon of May 7th, the priest of a Hofheim church caught a man trying to break into the donation box with a tool. The man fled the scene on bicycle. Later, during the night between May 7th and 8th, intruders entered a church in Raunheim (about 65 km away from Hofheim) through a broken basement window. Although it appeared that nothing was stolen, they damaged the locked entrance door as they left.
Theft from Saint-Germain-des-Près in Paris
May 8, 2019, FranceThe parish priest of the church of Saint-Germain-des-Près discovered that a gilded metal cross, bronze candlestick, and a candle had been stolen from the church altar by two intruders. The thieves were able to enter the church between 2:10 and 2:30 a.m. without forcing the doors due to construction scaffolding on the building. Police are searching for the two perpetrators filmed by the security cameras.
Christ Figure Broken in Half and Left on Church Altar
May 8, 2019, FranceOn May 8th, parishioners at the church of Saint-Martin d'Asson (Pyrénées-Atlantiques) discovered that a crucifix had been dismantled, and the Christ figure it supported broken in two pieces and left on both sides of the altar. A complaint was filed and police began an investigation.
Theft and Desecration of Saint-Germain Church
May 7, 2019, FranceThe Saint-Germain church in Brion-prés-Thouet (Deux-Sèvres) was the victim of a theft and desecration. Consecrated hosts and a lunula were stolen. On May 4th, a Mass of reparation was held.
Woman Arrested for Assaults, Threats and Vandalism Against Churches and Priests
May 7, 2019, SpainA 46-year-old woman of Cuban origin was arrested on the 7. May for conducting over 40 altercations and assaults on priests, nuns and faithful of various Catholic parishes in Palma de Mallorca. The arrest took place after she violently stole the figure of a Buddha on 15 April.
Vandalism in Village Church Twice in 10 Days
May 6, 2019, FranceThe church of Saint-Genest was vandalized on the afternoon of May 6th, with the Easter candle and other candles dedicated to the Virgin Mary burnt, the organ's power supply damaged, and trash was found. According to reports, this is the second instance of vandalism that the village church in ten days. Police began an investigation.
Repeated Thefts from Churches in Baden-Württemberg
May 6, 2019, GermanyFreiburg police are investigating a series of thefts from Catholic churches in Rheinfelden-Nollingen, Schwörstadt, and Bad Säckingen from mid-April to the beginning of May. Offering boxes were pried open and the contents stolen in each of the churches, with the Nollingen church hit twice by thieves.
Winnweiler Church Damaged by Vandals
May 6, 2019, GermanyDuring the period from May 4th to 6th, unknown perpetrators broke the lock at the Herz-Jesu-Kirche in Winnweiler (Rhineland-Palatinate), lit a small campfire on the sandy ground outside the church, and defaced a wall with graffiti. A lightning rod was torn from the wall and the outer facade of the church was damaged. The police in Rockenhausen are investigating.
Thüringen Church Vandalized
May 6, 2019, GermanyUnknown perpetrators smeared "several numbers, characters and figures in different colors" on the outer wall of the Evangelical Lutheran City Church in Rudolstadt. Police began an investigation.
Rampage in Umbria Church
May 5, 2019, ItalyDuring the night between May 4th and 5th, vandals ransacked the church of San Girolamo in Narni. On Sunday morning the 5th, the priest discovered that statues, benches, and kneelers had been overturned and damaged. Wires were torn from the sound system, furnishings in the sacristy and other rooms were destroyed, and sacred books had been thrown to the ground. As a result of the extensive damage, Mass had to be cancelled. A complaint was filed with the police.
Graffiti on Toulouse Church
May 5, 2019, FranceGraffiti with the phrase "Allah u Akbar" and a heart was found written on the door of the Notre-Dame-du-Taur church in Toulouse during the evening of May 5th.
Hoxel Chapel Window Damaged
May 5, 2019, GermanyDuring the night from May 4th to 5th, unidentified vandals smashed a stained glass window in the chapel in Morbach-Hoxel with a paving stone. Property damage is estimated to be around 2000 euros.
Suspicious Fire in Sacristy
May 5, 2019, FranceA suspicious fire broke out in the sacristy of St. Peter`s church in Équihen-Plage on the morning of May 5th. Thick smoke and flames were already coming out of the windows of the religious building when the firefighters arrived. The sacristy was very badly damaged. The police are investigating and searching for witnesses.
Thieves Steal Cross from Altar
May 4, 2019, GermanySometime between May 3rd and 4th, the intricately carved wooden cross was stolen from the altar of the Peter-Paul-Kirche in Bad Oldesloe. Pastor Diethelm Schark said to enter the sanctuary to steal the wooden cross broke a major taboo and said he hoped the cross would be found and returned.
Cross Broken and Trampled at Kwidzyn Cathedral
May 3, 2019, PolandOn May 3rd, a priest discovered a destroyed and trampled cross in the porch of the entrance to the church of Saint John the Evangelist in Kwidzyn, as well as a strong smelling liquid poured into the holy water font. Because the incident occurred on the Catholic feast of the Queen of Poland and Poland's Constitution Day holiday, there were many visitors and tourists around the cathedral, making it difficult to identify the perpetrators, according to the priest. The area was not covered by the security cameras in the church.
Consecrated Hosts Stolen from Deux-Sèvres Church
May 2, 2019, FranceThe church of Saint-Germain in Brion-prés-Thouet held a reparation Mass on May 4th after consecrated hosts in a chalice were stolen a few days earlier.
Donation Box Torn from Wall of Church found at Bus Stop
May 2, 2019, GermanyPolice investigated the theft of an offertory box from a church in Wiehe (Thüringen). On May 2nd, church staff discovered that the donation box had been forcibly torn from the wall. It was later found at a bus stop. A small amount of cash was stolen, but the incident caused property damage of about 100 euros.
Two Vandalism Incidents in Two Days on Catholic Churches in Scotland
April 29, 2019, United KingdomOn Saturday, April 27, anti-Catholic graffiti (“F*** the Pope”) was found spray-painted on a bus shelter outside Holy Family Catholic Church in Mossend. On Monday, April 29, vandals entered St. Simon Catholic Church in Glasgow, the main place of worship for the city's Polish community, and attacked the sanctuary, breaking a statue, overturning candles and a shrine to Our Lady of Częstochowa.
Heavy Damage after Church Break-In
April 29, 2019, GermanyUnknown thieves broke into a church on the Luisenring in Mannheim on April 29th. According to police, the perpetrators gained access to the church through a back window during the night of April 29th. They searched the chapel and the sacristy. Doors and containers were broken into with massive force, resulting in property damage of around 10,000 euros throughout the building. Police began an investigation.
Theft from Evangelical Church During Service
April 28, 2019, GermanyDuring the Sunday morning worship service on the 28th of April, an unknown perpetrator stole the offertory box from the evangelischen Kirchengemeinde Spaichingen (Baden-Wüttemberg).
Persistent Vandalism of Alpine Church
April 28, 2019, ItalyA 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, GermanyIn 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, FranceThe 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 KingdomOn 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, PolandOn 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, GermanyAt 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, GermanyPolice 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, GermanySometime 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, FranceIn 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, ItalyDuring 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.
Pentecostal Church Suffers Vandalism Attack on Easter
April 21, 2019, United KingdomLarge rocks were thrown through the windows of the Elim Pentecostal Church on the High Road sometime following the Easter Sunday service. Two stained glass windows and two double-glazed side windows were destroyed. Damage is estimated at £2,000. Pastor Clifford Bedeau reported that it was the first act of vandalism at the church in 15 years.
Fire Destroyed Confessional in Eyguières Church on Easter
April 21, 2019, FranceA fire destroyed the confessional of the Notre-Dame de Grâce church in the late afternoon of Easter Sunday in Eyguières. The suspicious fire started around 4:40 p.m. in the confessional before spreading to a wooden platform to the right of the altar in the 18th century church. An investigation was initiated to determine the cause of the fire.
Vandalism Attack on Brotherhood House of the Holy Supper (Hermandad de la Santa Cena)
April 21, 2019, SpainOn Easter Sunday the façade of the brotherhood house of the Holy Supper was vandalized. The words "Putos Kuras" ("f*cking priests") and the anarchist symbol (an A inside a circle) were painted on the brotherhood house of the Palm Sunday.
Homeless Man Stabbed for Wearing a Cross Necklace in Rome
April 20, 2019, ItalyA 44-year-old Georgian man was stabbed in the neck in front of Rome's Termini Station on Easter Eve by a Moroccan man after a dispute about religion on a bus. According to reports, after the victim got off the bus at Termini Station, the aggressor followed him and after noticing the crucifix necklace he was wearing, called the Georgian man a "Italian Catholic Sh*t"and tried to cut his throat with a kitchen knife. The Moroccan man was arrested by police and charged with attempted murder with religious hatred as an aggravating factor.
Intrustion into Ennepetal Church
April 19, 2019, GermanyUnknown perpetrators broke a window in order to get into the Herz Jesu Catholic Church in Ennepetal sometime between April 19th and 20th. After an investigation, it appeared that nothing was stolen.
Statue of Sainte-Barbe Smashed
April 17, 2019, FranceA statue of the patron saint of miners and firefighters was removed from its glass case in a square in front of a church in the small town of Belle-Roche (Cocheren) and smashed to the ground by unknown vandals.
Statue of Virgin Mary Decapitated in Marlhes
April 17, 2019, FranceResidents of the Loire village were stunned to discover the statue of la vierge de Cartaire had been smashed, breaking the chest and decapitating the head. The statue, which sits in a small flower-filled grotto, is made of cast iron with metal reinforcements. Reports indicate that the person or people who committed this act would have had to be well-equipped to break such a strong structure.
Theft from Offertory Box in Euskirchen Church
April 17, 2019, GermanyAround noontime on April 17th, unknown thieves emptied the offertory box in the St. Martin Catholic Church in Euskirchen and fled the church unnoticed. The amount stolen cannot be determined.
UK School Employee Challeges Dismissal for Raising Concerns about Sex Education
April 16, 2019, United KingdomKristie Higgs, a Christian school worker will challenge a Gloucestershire school academy’s decision to dismiss her for gross misconduct. She was dismissed after she shared two posts on her Facebook page in October 2018 that raised concerns about Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) at another school in the same village - her child’s Church of England primary school. Higgs was told following an investigation and a six hour hearing that she would be dismissed without notice for gross misconduct.
Donation Box in Wittmund Church Broken Into
April 16, 2019, GermanyPolice are investigating the April 16th theft of an unknown sum of money from a donation box in the Deichkirche in Carolinensiel.
Anti-Catholic Graffiti Sprayed on Galicia Church
April 14, 2019, SpainOn the morning of Palm Sunday, the priest and parishioners discovered graffiti sprayed on the outside of the Meside (Ourense) church. "Borregos" ("sheep"), "La religión es el opium del pueblo" ("Religion is the opiate of the people"), "Por la república" (For the republic"), a cross in a circle with a line through it, and leftist symbols were among the messages on the church.
Dillenburg: Vandalism in the Catholic Church
April 14, 2019, GermanyOn April 14th, between 2 pm and 6 pm, unknown persons vandalized the Herz Jesu Catholic church on Wilhelmsplatz in Dillenburg (in Hesse's Gießen region). They damaged a holy water stoup and candles and scattered leaflets on the floor.
Break-in at Church in Herne
April 14, 2019, GermanyBetween April 14th and 15th, unknown thieves broke into the Protestant Church Baukau in Herne by breaking a window. They tore one donation box from a wall, destroyed another one, and pried open several cupboards and fled with the donations.
Sacred Objects and Keys Stolen from Mödling Church
April 13, 2019, AustriaUnknown perpetrators stole a chalice, two ciboria, and a monstrance from the tabernacle, as well as all the keys in the sacristy from the parish church in Biedermannsdorf (district of Mödling) on the evening of April 13th.
Break-in and Vandalism at El Copo Chapel
April 13, 2019, SpainA chapel attached to the parish of the Sagrada Familia in the El Copo neighborhood of Málaga was broken into during the early morning hours of April 13th. The chapel door, as well as the tabernacle, were forced open and the sacristy was damaged. Nothing was stolen. Police investigated whether it was connected to the theft of ciboria containing consecrated hosts from another Málaga church a few days earlier.
Pro-Life Student Group Challenges Student Union Ban
April 12, 2019, United KingdomIn April 2018, the pro-life student university group Aberdeen Life Ethics Society submitted an application for affiliation to Aberdeen University's Societies Union (AUSA) but was denied due to AUSA's policy which required the union to give “no funding, facilitation, or platform” to any pro-life group and forbids the “unreasonable display” of pro-life material on campus. Aberdeen Life Ethics Society has taken legal action against the University and AUSA claiming unlawful discrimination and the violation of equality rights protected by UK law.