All cases
Arson Attack on Church in Vorarlberg
May 4, 2014, AustriaUnknown offenders started a fire at the entrance of the church in Vorarlberg. At 1:20 am people walking by discovered the flames and were able to extinguish the fire, but the two 52 year-old women had to be brought to the hospital as a precautionary measure. There were suspected injuries of smoke inhalation, however, they were soon discharged.
Karlskirche Vandalised in Vienna
May 4, 2014, AustriaDuring the night from Friday to Saturday unknown perpetrators vandalised the world famous Karlskirche in Vienna’s fourth district. The perpetrators threw several bags of paint on the stonework and some statues in front of the church. Also the words „on repression follows resistance“ were smeared on the walls. The police suspect several perpetrators. The incident was noticed Saturday morning. The damage is severe.
Chain Store Uses Christian Symbol With Offensive Twist
May 3, 2014, FranceThe chain store “Camping” (Camper) used a spin off of a traditional Christian symbol to advertise its new shoe line the “Sailing Collection.” As depicted in the picture taken from a storefront in Paris, the traditional image of the Sacred Heart of Jesus is depicted with the astronomical sign of Venus in place of the cross. This symbol is often used by feminist movements.
Christian Conscientious Objectors to Morning-After-Pill Barred from Sexual Health Care Diploma
May 1, 2014, United KingdomBritish doctors and nurses who refuse to dispense the morning-after pill on grounds of conscience will be unable to receive a specialist diploma in sexual health care. Guidance issued by the Faculty of Sexual and Reproductive Healthcare states that medical professionals who, for religious reasons, refuse to hand out "emergency" contraception cannot receive the qualification. The diploma is considered to represent the "gold standard" of sexual health care training.
Anarchist and Feminist Graffiti on Church in Beltinci
May 1, 2014, SloveniaIn the night of the 1st to the 2nd of May, 2014, unknown perpetrators graffitied the church of Saint-Ladislav, in Beltinci, a region in the northeast of Slovenia and close to the country’s border with Hungary. This is the fourth time in recent years that the church has been a victim of such vandalism.
Christian Worker in London Claims She was Fired for Refusing to Read Children’s Books About Gay Couples
April 30, 2014, United KingdomSarah Mbuyi, 30 year-old nursery worker from north London will bring her case to court as she claims she was fired on the grounds of her religious beliefs because she said that she would have scruples about reading children’s stories involving same-sex couples.
Church of Saint-Michel Vandalised in Locmiquélic (Bretagne)
April 30, 2014, FranceOn the 30th of April, in the afternoon, the church of Saint-Michel in Locmiquélic was once again the victim of vandalism. The candles were broken into several pieces and a hymnal was ripped apart. It was reported that adolescents were identified as having committed the crime.
Muslim Interrupts Religious Remembrance Ceremony in Alfreton, Derbyshire
April 26, 2014, United KingdomIn Derbyshire, England on the 11th of November, 2013, a 52 year-old Muslim man named Mohamed Dar entered New Life Church in Alfreton as the community was holding a remembrance service for English World War I soldiers. He was shouting "turn to Islam" while wearing a scarf tied over his face and a kind of turban on which was written in Arab, “Allah is great.”
Disney Excludes the Name of God in Movies
April 25, 2014, InternationalIn an interview on a National Public Radio program called Fresh Air, one of the Oscar-winning songwriters of Let It Go, from Disney’s film Frozen, said that "one of the only places you have to draw the line at Disney is with religious things, the word God." According to The Guardian, “Lopez went on to say: ‘You can say it in Disney but you can't put it in the movie.’”
Two Catholic Parish Websites Hacked
April 24, 2014, InternationalTwo Catholic parish websites, the parish of Saint Louis of the French in Madrid, and the parish of Notre Dame de Nazareth in Paris, were both hacked by the same perpetrator. The picture (see below) could be found when one tried to access the website. The site of Saint Louis of the French has been restored. Both website are hosted by the Conference of Bishops of France.