All cases
Statue of Virgin Mary in Champagnat Stolen
March 7, 2018, FranceThe statue of Virgin Mary in an oratory in Champagnat was torn from its base and stolen on the eve of International Women's Day. An explanatory note was left by the vandals, saying that Mary did not want to remain behind an iron gate, surrounded by plastic flowers and peeling paint, but wished to "withdraw to meditate on the state of the sacred feminine" and that she would return.
Molotov Cocktail Found in Church Days after Threatening Graffiti Sprayed on Facade
March 6, 2018, SpainOn March 6th, a Molotov cocktail was found placed on the ledge of a window in the apse of the central parish San Miguel in Córdoba. The paper wick in the bottle had had been lit, but fortunately did not combust with the explosive materials inside.
Activist says "Burn the Episcopal Conference"
March 6, 2018, SpainOn March 6 during the television program Més 324 on the public broadcasting network Catalonia TV3, former CUP politician and activist Bel Olid encouraged participation in the March 8 feminist strike by saying: "Hem de cremar la conferència episcopal per masclista i patriarchal!" (We must burn the Episcopal Conference for machismo and patriarchyl!).
Arson at Saint-Gildas Church in Auray
March 4, 2018, FranceOn the afternoon of March 4th, a parishioner discovered thick smoke inside l'église Saint-Gildas. She observed two young women running from the church and immediately contacted the authorities. Firefighters discovered 10 separate fires had been set inside.
Bomb Scare in Bern Church
March 2, 2018, SwitzerlandA 21-year-old Afghan man was arrested in Bern on March 2nd after he threatened to blow up the Heiliggeistkirche (Church of the Holy Spirit) near the main train station. Witnesses reported unusual behavior to the police. Upon arrival, police found the man in possession of "suspicious objects" which were later neutralized. The church was evacuated and the area around the church was sealed off for hours.
Local Government to Demolish Cross
March 1, 2018, SpainThe tripartite government of the Castellón municipality of Vall d'Uixó formed by PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party), Izquierda Unida (United Left) and Compomís (Coalició Compromís) announced the demolition of the cross in the small Plaza de la Paz (Freedom's Square). The removal was driven by the law of Historical Memory. However, the cross of Vall d'Uixó no longer contains any symbol that refers to the Civil War or the Franco regime.
Beloved Priest Murdered in Francophone Parish in Berlin
February 22, 2018, GermanyFather Alain-Florent Gandoulou, the head of the Catholic French-Speaking community, was murdered in his office around midnight.
Government Sponsored Festival whose Poster Depicted Church in Flames
February 22, 2018, SpainThe Lugo City Hall, governed by PSOE, sponsored a music festival in February 2018 whose promotional poster depicts Christian church in flames. The three-day festival called “A Candeloria” was organized for the 15th consecutive year. All participating musical bands shared in common "combative music" with "corrosive lyrics about the system and its institutions."
Strasbourg Cathedral Tagged
February 22, 2018, FranceA facade and the double door of Strasbourg Cathedral were tagged during the night between February 20th and 21st with the anarchist message “Neither god nor master” ("Ni Dieu, Ni Maître").
10 Churches in the French Regions of Loire-Atlantique and Morbihan Desecrated
February 21, 2018, FranceDuring February at least ten churches in the French Region of Morbihan and Loire-Atlantique were desecrated or robbed, according to media reports. After police investigation, two men were arrested.