All cases
Nativity Scene Statues Decapitated in Frejus
December 26, 2012, FranceIn front of the Tourist information office in Frejus, France, the wooden nativity scene of the local parish, suffered severe vandalism. During a night of the Christmas season the statues of Mary and Joseph were decapitated. The perpetrators and their motives were not clarified by the police.
People in Turkey Threatened by Plain-Clothes Police
December 26, 2012, TurkeyPeople in the Denizli, Diyarbakir, Sinop and Hatay provinces attending worship services were being threatened and warned about further participation by plain-clothes policemen. The Police also requested information about other people attending.
Pride Parade Hurts Christians' Religious Feelings
December 25, 2012, SloveniaDuring the Ljubljana Gay Pride Parade 2012 the protestors for „a proud LGBT community“ carried signs which hurt the religious feelings of Christians: One image satirically said "let us return to the middle ages" showing a pope-like figure cutting apart a rainbow flag. The other one read: "even Jesus had two fathers". Furthermore, the Observatory was told by the organizers of the Iskreni Festival (clf. a pro family event), that Slovenian LGBT lobby organisations attacked their work massively. They tried to pressure benefactors of the festival into seizing any financial support due to the Iskreni Festival's pro life and pro family orientation.
Muslims Shout Abuse at Christians Queueing for Christmas Services
December 24, 2012, United KingdomMuslims protested in front of St Paul’s Cathedral, London, on Christmas Eve 2012 while Christians were lining up to enter the Cathedral for services. One person reported to the Observatory: “We have been adversely affected, distressed, and inconvenienced because of the nature, loudness, and closeness of this verbal outpour of hatred and abuse abuse. None of the Christians who were peacefully waiting in line to attend a Christmas celebration provoked the verbal abuse that we were forced to endure. At one point a Muslim male was loudly shouting abuse at us from a distance of about four meters.”
Three Churches Set on Fire in Amstetten
December 23, 2012, AustriaOn December 23, three churches were set on fire in the small town of Amstetten, lower Austria. One of the churches was severely damaged.
Evangelical Church in Bremen Vandalized
December 22, 2012, GermanyTwo days before the Christmas, the evangelical church in Bremen Tenever was vandalized in a way, that the Christmas celebrations could not take place in the church.
Nativity Scene Burnt Down in a Church in Savoy
December 18, 2012, FranceThe nativity scene at the Church of Barby in Savoy was set on fire on Tuesday, December 18th, between 7 and 8 in the evening. The sacristan reported that it is not the first instance of attack the Church has experienced. The day after several parents and children of the parish set up a new nativity scene.
Youth Demand the Handing Over of a Priest "to be Burnt" at Catholic School in Merida
December 17, 2012, SpainDuring the morning of the 17th of December ten youths between the ages of 15 and 17 entered the Salesian School ‘Maria Auxiliadora’ in the outskirts of Merida, Spain. After assaulting the groundskeeper who had tried to stop their entrance, they made their way to the classrooms demanding the priests be handed over to be burnt and accusing the teachers of fascism.
Vandalism of Christian Wayside Shrine in St-Germain-en-Laye
December 16, 2012, FranceThe French Observatoire de l’Christianophobie was notified of an act of vandalism against a statue of St Genevieve in St-Germain-en-Laye the 16th of December. The glass encasement of the image of the Saint was destroyed leaving the statue somewhat damaged.
Series of Thievery in Austrian Churches
December 15, 2012, AustriaSince summer 2012 a series of thefts has been going on in Austrian churches around Melk. Figurines have been taken and in mid-December images have been cut out from flags used for processions.