All cases
Church in Hanau Targeted Again with Airsoft or Slingshot Projectiles
June 15, 2026, GermanySeveral windows of the Holy Spirit Church in Hanau were damaged in a second attack within a month, with police suspecting the use of an airsoft gun or slingshot.
Josefikapelle Defaced with Political and Sexist Graffiti in Nabburg
June 14, 2026, GermanyDuring the week preceding 12 June 2026, unknown perpetrators vandalised the Josefikapelle by spray-painting sexist and politically motivated graffiti on its exterior wall. Police opened an investigation and appealed for witnesses.
Attempted arson at Baptist Church in Tallinn
June 13, 2026, EstoniaPolice have apprehended three men suspected of attempted arson at a Baptist Church building in Tallinn. Whilst exact motivations remain unknown, the police are investigation whether the incident was motivated by religious reasons.
Church tagged with anti-Christian graffiti
June 12, 2026, PolandOn 12 June 2026, a vulgar inscription offensive to the Church was discovered painted in red on the façade of the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary. Police opened an investigation to identify the perpetrator.
Evangelical Bookshop Defaced with Anti-Israel Graffiti
June 12, 2026, NetherlandsIn early June 2026, the evangelical book and gift shop Het Olijfblad in Den Burg was defaced with anti-Israel slogans and symbols. Police opened an investigation into the incident.
European Court of Human Rights Upholds Right to Door-to-Door Religious Outreach
June 9, 2026, BulgariaOn 9 June 2026, the European Court of Human Rights ruled that Bulgaria violated the right to freedom of religion by upholding a municipal ban on door-to-door religious outreach in the city of Shumen. The Court found that the measure amounted to a disproportionate restriction on religious freedom because it broadly prohibited religious evangelisation at residents’ homes without sufficient justification. The judgment reaffirms that peaceful missionary activity is protected under Article 9 of the European Convention on Human Rights.
Arson Incident at St. Peter’s Church in Lommel Following Repeated Vandalism
June 8, 2026, BelgiumUnknown perpetrators deliberately set fire to the fabric upholstery of a church bench inside St. Peter’s Church (Sint-Pietersbandenkerk) in Lommel, Belgium, on 8 June 2026. Church officials stated that the incident was the latest in a number of recent vandalism and fire-related incidents affecting the church.
Young Man Arrested After Desecrating Church and Damaging Sacred Property
June 8, 2026, PolandA young man was arrested after entering the Church of the Assumption of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Łubów, where he committed acts of desecration and damaged religious objects near the altar and confessional.
Elderly parishioner assaulted and robbed inside Cathedral in Saint-Étienne
June 8, 2026, FranceOn 9 June, a 78-year-old parishioner was violently assaulted inside Saint-Charles Cathedral in Saint-Étienne while reading notices in the entrance hall. The assailant forcibly stole her necklace before fleeing the scene. The attack left the victim severely shocked, prompting a police investigation and strong reactions from the diocese which condemned the assault on the elderly worshipper inside the church.
Suspected arson at new Syrian Orthodox church under construction in Leimen
June 7, 2026, GermanyPolice in Leimen, Germany, are investigating suspected arson after a fire was deliberately set inside the shell of a new Syrian Orthodox church. The blaze, which produced flames several metres high, was extinguished before it could cause major damage to the building.