All cases
Córdoba Parish Vandalized with Anarchist Graffiti
August 25, 2018, SpainThe phrase "De tumba en tumba y tiro por que toca. Fachas" was discovered written exterior wall of the Iglesia de la Trinidad, along with an anarchist 'A' symbol.
Statue of Virgin Mary Destroyed at the Grotto of Maupas
August 24, 2018, FranceThe acts of vandalism were discovered by a visitor who regularly comes to the grotto of Maupas (a replica of the grotto of Lourdes) to light candles. The face of the statue of the Virgin Mary was completely destroyed. The news spread quickly in the village and left many people dismayed and upset. The president of the association Saint-Ours, one of the organizations that manage the cave, has filed a complaint with the police.
Statue wearing Cross Vandalized
August 24, 2018, FranceA small statue of a woman wearing a cross around her neck carved into a stone wall dating back to the 13th century was defaced. Workers building a bridge discovered the damage, the same day the mayor had ordered protection for the site. The face was completely disfigured and the bust and the cross necklace were marred. The municipality filed a complaint for property damage.
Fire Set in Mühlheim Church
August 23, 2018, GermanyOn the 23rd of August, 2018, the chaplain of the church in Mühlheim discovered that unknown perpetrators had moved an umbrella stand into the vestibule of the church and set a fire in it. However, the fire was immediately extinguished and the only damage was to a carpet in the amount of 150 euros. The police opened an investigation.
Robbery at Church of Mondéjar
August 20, 2018, SpainIn the early hours of the 20th of August there was a robbery at the church Santa María Magdalena of Mondéjar. The parish priest discovered the theft when he went to the church the next morning to prepare for Mass. The thieves had entered the church through a side door after breaking the lock. They broke three other door locks until they were able to enter the sacristy. They left the sacristy looted and stole more than 400 euros as well as three large sacred artworks of bronze. The artifacts date back to the late eighteenth or early nineteenth century. The civil guard was notified and investigated.
Statue of Virgin Mary and Child Decapitated in Noirmoutier
August 19, 2018, FranceDuring the night of the 18th to 19th of August, the 3.5 meter public statue of the Virgin Mary and Child was decapitated. Residents were shocked and searched the nearby forest for the missing heads but found nothing. Parishioners were dismayed, as the statue has stood in the community since 1949. The priest, who called the incident violent and shocking, filed a complaint with the police.
At Least Five Pakistani Priests Denied Visas for World Meeting of Families in Ireland
August 19, 2018, IrelandChristians from Pakistan and Iraq were denied visas to attend the 2018 World Meeting of Families in Dublin, including at least 5 priests, due to "insufficient connections" to the event. A priest from Karachi received a letter rejecting his application in which the officer said there was "no evidence of a valid reason to travel to Ireland" and that the Catholic priest lacked "sufficient connection" to the World Meeting or to the Pope to justify attendance.
Church Facade Defaced with "W l'Islam"
August 18, 2018, ItalyThe newly renovated wall of the Chiesa del Santissimo Rosario in the center of Avellino was defaced with "W I'Islam" in black paint. The parish priest reported the incident to the police who will investigate whether there were religious or political motives behind this act of vandalism.
Church in Badwell Ash Damaged by Pellets
August 18, 2018, United KingdomDuring the night between the 17th the 18th of August there was a spate of vandalism in west Suffolk. According to the police, the unknown perpetrator damaged St Mary's Church in the village Badwell Ash and several vehicles in the area. It is believed that the offender used an BB or pellet air rifle to smash the church windows as well as 12 vehicles parked in the village. The police continued their investigation.
Churches Close due to Vandalism
August 17, 2018, GermanyThree churches were closed in Euskirchen due to repeated vandalism. The Herz-Jesu-Kirche, the Martinskirche and the Kirche St. Matthias will only be opened for Mass for the rest of the summer holidays as a provisional measure. The altar of St. Martin's church was smeared with dog excrement and urine was found in the stoup for holy water. Parishioners were outraged and stunned by the closure of the churches. These incidents were a change from the regular drug use that the churches had seen for some time.
Church CCTV Damaged by Vandals
August 17, 2018, United KingdomVandals damaged a CCTV camera from St. Mark's Parish Church in Raploch just one day after it was installed. The church had been subject to repeated acts of vandalism and a couple of CCTV cameras were installed in order to deter anti-social behavior. While one camera was damaged, the other cameras were already doing their job as they identified those responsible for the incident, enabling the police to trace them and take action.
Tourist Information for Italian Church Destroyed
August 16, 2018, ItalyTourist information that explains the history of the Greek church of Santa Maria degli Angeli was knocked down and torn from the sidewalk. The church has repeatedly been subjected to acts of vandalism.
Bishop of Liège Threatened and Robbed at Home
August 15, 2018, BelgiumDuring the night between the 14th to the 15th of August, thieves broke into the bishop's home through a toilet window on the ground floor. They assaulted both Bishop Jean-Pierre Delville as well as his godson who was also present in the house. They demanded cash, believing that the money collected from the churches was kept there. Having no cash in the house, the bishop and his godson had to resort to the money the godson had kept saved up for a trip abroad. They further asked for gold and valuable paintings, a Picasso in particular. The bishop gave them three chalices and pointed them towards four pieces of art from the 17th century that decorated the council chamber. After hitting one of the victims and threatening to kill them, they locked the bishop and his godson in a bathroom, where they were found the next morning. The thieves were described as "masked and professional" and explained they needed money to cure the 5-year-old daughter of one of them. They spoke German, as well as an unidentified foreign language and only spoke French poorly. The damage has been estimated to amount to 20 000 euros. An investigation is ongoing.
Vue Cinemas Breached Contract by Refusing to Screen 'Voices of the Silenced'
August 15, 2018, United KingdomAfter Vue Cinemas cancelled the screening of the film 'Voices of the Silenced' at the last minute in February, the film's producers launched a legal challenge against Vue. In August, Vue agreed to pay a nominal amount for breaching the contract. A spokesperson from Vue has said, however, that they stand by their decision of not screening the movie as it was "in direct conflict with its values." 'Voices of the Silenced' is a film by Christian organization Core Issues Trust about people who have left behind same-sex attraction practices.
Man Arrested for Defacing Church
August 15, 2018, United KingdomA man was arrested after spraying graffiti on several buildings in Andover including St. Mary's Church where the anarchist symbol was painted on the church door and the number 666 was left in red on the steps outside. The incident is suspected to have taken place some time between the 8th of August and the early hours of the 10th of August.
Leftists Attack Group for Wearing Catholic University T-Shirts
August 14, 2018, SpainOn August 18th, national police arrested two members of an extreme left group for assaulting a group of young people because they did not like the T-shirts they wore, namely the shirts of the Catholic University San Antonio de Murcia. The incident occurred in one of the pubs in area of the university a few days earlier. The victims were first insulted, then threatened, and were finally attacked. One of the victims received stitches, suffering an ocular hemorrhage. The 19 and 28-year-old perpetrators from Spain and Brazil were identified by photographs and were already known to the police for their membership in ultra-left groups. They were charged with crimes against fundamental rights (hate crimes) and injuries.
Arson Attack on Church in Rosolini
August 11, 2018, ItalyDuring night from the 10th to the 11th of August a fire was set in the church of Santa Caterina da Siena. The back of the church structure was set on fire and the flames penetrated into the warehouse where plastic caps which were collected for the charity project "Stappiao la speranza" were stored. More than 1,000 kilos of the caps went up in smoke and there was serious damage done to the church. The funds resulting from the project were to be sent to the twin parish Butembo Beni in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The incident left the church perplexed and the Mayor and Prime Minister expressed their solidarity. The incident was reported to the police.
Man Arrested for Vandalism at Guernsey Church
August 10, 2018, United KingdomAn 18-year-old man was arrested for vandalizing St. John's Church in St. Peter Port on Guernsey. The church had been smeared with graffiti and notes with 'obscene' messages of 'religious hate' were left. The incident left the vicar and churchgoers upset. The police began an investigation.
Sacristy Broken into and Robbed in Carville
August 9, 2018, FranceThe sacristy of the church of Carville (Calvados) was robbed and various objects were stolen including candle sticks. The wooden door to the sacristy was broken. A complaint was filed with the police.
Christ Statue Defaced
August 9, 2018, FranceA public statue of Christ in Thonon-les-Bains was vandalized, with its face completely covered with black paint.