All cases

Four Summit Crosses Damaged in the Bavarian Alps

August 27, 2016, Germany

From May to August 2016 four wooden summit crosses in the Bad Tölz-Wolfrashausen region were destroyed by unknown perpetrators using an ax.

Nice Deputy Mayor Confirms "Burkini Ban" Also Applies to Nuns' Habits on Beaches

August 26, 2016, France

Rudy Salles defended the ban of the "Burkini" and said that the same ban would apply to Catholic nuns wearing habits on Nice beaches.

Mass Interrupted by Intruder Yelling Insults at Cardinal

August 26, 2016, Spain

Cardinal Archbishop of Valencia, Antonio Cañizares was offering Mass in Avila dedicated to St. Teresa of Avila when he was interrupted by an individual who entered the church shouting insults at the Cardinal such as “Nazi, thief, Fascist.”

Man Arrested After Threatening to "Kill a Priest" in Ariege

August 25, 2016, France

A thirty-year-old man was arrested by police after witnesses reported hearing him threaten several times to "kill a priest" and yelling "Allah Akbar." The man claimed it was a joke and was found to have been under the influence of narcotics.

Belgian Police Arrested Teen Pledging to Kill All Christians

August 22, 2016, Belgium

The 17-year-old boy was filmed declaring in Arabic, “Oh Allah, destroy the odious Christians. Oh Allah kill them all.”

Religious Statues Decapitated

August 19, 2016, Luxembourg

A resident of Weilerlach discovered religious statues of Jesus and Joseph decapitated by unknown vandals in a public park. The police are investigating.

Verviers Church Vandalized

August 19, 2016, Belgium

The last remaining stained glass window in the church of Sainte-Julienne was destroyed on August 19th by stones. A few months earlier the other windows of the church had been similarly damaged, forcing the church to erect protective fences. Costs to restore and repair the damage is estimated to be considerable.

Afghan Christian Attacked by Four Muslim Refugees

August 17, 2016, Germany

An Afghan refugee (31) who converted from Islam to Christianity was attacked by four Muslim Afghans in Maintal near Frankfurt am Main. They shouted “Allahu Akbar” and said that they were going to kill him.

Catholic Church Vandalized a Week After Board Denied CCTV Permission

August 16, 2016, Sweden

An unknown person threw a rock through the window of the Catholic church in Karlstad a week after the city's administrative board denied permission for the church to install CCTV cameras.

Antitheist Murders Flatmate for her Christian Faith

August 15, 2016, Germany

Daniel E. was sentenced to life in prison on January 30, 2017 for the August 2016 premeditated murder of his Christian flatmate. The self-proclaimed "antitheist" admitted killing her because of his hatred of all religion. The judge said, "He killed her as a representative of her religion because he could not kill all believers.”

Christian Asylum Seeker Attacked for Faith

August 14, 2016, Germany

A young Christian asylum seeker was approached by several men on the street near Berlin and was asked whether he is Christian. When he said yes, he was insulted in Arabic and badly beaten.

Stained Glass Windows Destroyed in Church

August 14, 2016, France

At least 40 stones were thrown at four stained glass windows in a church in Delme, possibly using slingshots from outside the church. Damage is estimated to be 20,000 euros. Police are investigating.

Statue of Virgin Mary Beheaded in Alpes de Haute-Provence

August 14, 2016, France

During the weekend of August 14th, a hiker discovered the chapel door forced open and the statue of Notre-Dame-de-la-Salette removed from its display, decapitated, and left outside the building with its head at its feet. Police are investigating.

City Church in Indre-et-Loire Vandalized

August 14, 2016, France

The church of Notre Dame in Vouvray was vandalized with black spray paint during the weekend of August 14, 2016 with a message accusing the church of fundamentalism and calling Christianity a sect: "Intégriste Christianize = Secte." An investigation was initiated.

U.S. Baptist Minister Arrested, Convicted Under Missionary Activity Law

August 14, 2016, Russia

Donald Ossewaarde was arrested on August 14th as he conducted a bible study group in his home. He is first foreign missionary to be charged with violating Russia's law banning missionary activity outside officially registered church buildings.

Church Desecrated in Grandate

August 13, 2016, Italy

During the night of August 13, 2016, unknown persons forced open the door of the church of San Bartolomeo in the Como province and attempted to break open the tabernacle containing consecrated Hosts, broke the marble lectern, and topped the statue of Our Lady of Lourdes, breaking her hands and nose.

Mass of the Assumption Banned by Authorities

August 11, 2016, Turkey

After 88 years of closure, the Panagia Sumela Monastery in Trabzon, was reopened in June 2010 and since then, the Turkish authorities had given a license for a yearly Mass to the Ecumenical Patriarchate of Constantinople to celebrate the Mass of the Assumption. This year, the authorization was administratively revoked.

Town Council to Remove Cross from Public Square

August 11, 2016, Spain

The Callosa de Segura town council voted to remove the cross in the plaza of the church of San Martin. Christian legal groups objected, noting that its presence poses no threat to anyone and that it is part of the town's historical and cultural heritage.

Authorities Deny Permission for CCTV for Church

August 10, 2016, Sweden

The Catholic Church of Karlstad has been a repeated victim of attacks: Hate graffiti, inverted crosses glued on its walls, and broken windows. In 2015, Father Martin Ferenc, pastor of the church, filed no fewer than 15 police complaints. The police suggested that he install video surveillance cameras in order to identify the perpetrators. The priest therefore asked the administrative board to authorize their installation. The board rejected the application on the grounds that the church's interest in solving these crimes is outweighed by the individual's interest in not being recorded.

Vandals Tag 14th Century Church Fresco

August 10, 2016, Italy

A "street artist" tagged a fresco in the Basilica di San Lorenzo in Vicenza with black spray paint.

Pastor and Politician Report Abuse of Christian Refugees in Frankfurt

August 8, 2016, Germany

During a press conference with Bundestag member Erika Steinbach, Pastor Mahin Mousapour said Christians staying at migrant shelters are being told that they are impure and that they deserve to die for rejecting Islam.

Holy Synod Offices the Victim of Arson Attack by Molotov Cocktails

August 8, 2016, Greece

The attack occurred at 3.10 a.m. when unidentified assailants, presumed to be anarchists, threw four Molotov cocktails into the yard of a church in central Athens, the Moni Petraki, which houses the central offices of the Church of Greece's Holy Synod. The molotov cocktails detonated, destroying two cars that had been parked outside.

Venice Church the Site of Two Anti-Christian Incidents

August 7, 2016, Italy

Four women wearing headscarves entered the Church of San Zulian, approached the crucifix, and spat on it. They then moved among the tourists undetected. The day before, on July 6, 2016, two young men, described as "Asians," received Communion, and then spat out pieces of the Host onto the ground and fled.

14-Year-Old Confesses to Setting Fire to Church

August 6, 2016, Italy

During the day of August 6, 2016, a 14-year-old intentionally set a fire in the church of San Filippo Neri in Savigliano using candles. The fire spread to the wooden paneling and was finally contained by the use of two fire extinguishers.

Christians Forced to Flee Refugee Housing in Schloss Holte-Stukenbrock

August 4, 2016, Germany

Fourteen young Christian Iranians fled their accommodations after being threatened with death for months by a group of Muslims living in the tent city.

Anti-Christian Posters Glued to Public Light Posts in Argenteuil

August 3, 2016, France

The posters read: "The only church that illuminates is one that burns" along with an illustration of a church on fire.

Anarchist Protesters Disrupt Divine Liturgy

July 31, 2016, Greece

A group of about 25 people burst into the church of Saint Gregory Palamas in Thessaloniki, disrupting the Divine Liturgy (Eucharistic service of the Byzantine Rite) throwing leaflets protesting against the expulsion of refugees and migrants. The protesters clashed with those present in the church. Riot police made more than ​​twenty arrests.

Church Clock Vandalized

July 31, 2016, France

An unknown perpetrator climbed the clock tower of the church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste in Saulcy-sur-Meurthe and twisted the metal hands of the clock, rendering it inoperable.

Satirical Publication Deeply Insults Catholic Church

July 30, 2016, Belgium

In the wake of the murder of a French priest, the Belgian publication NordPress posted the following (in French): "Pope Francis announced today at the World Youth Day that all priests who die a martyr, like the 84-year-old abbot killed by extremists in his church, will receive 72 altar boys in paradise. A new dogmatic measure for the Catholic Church which aims to compete with the 72 virgins offered to Muslim martyrs."

Italy Expels Two Men for Causing Disturbances in Catholic Churches

July 28, 2016, Italy

Italy expelled two Moroccan men who caused disturbances in Catholic churches as part of a wider effort to reduce terrorism threats. The two expelled were a 25-year-old man who smashed a 300-year-old wooden crucifix to the ground inside a Venice church in early July and a 69-year-old man who stormed into a church in 2015 in Trentino and shouted abusive statements about Catholicism.

Cross Vandalized in Rosnay

July 28, 2016, France

The cross and the base of a monument were broken with a sledgehammer and chisel. The opening of the monument was scheduled for three days later. Police investigated.

Priest Murdered in French Church Attack

July 26, 2016, France

Father Jacques Hamel, 84, died after his throat was slit during an attack on the church in Saint-Etienne-du-Rouvray by two armed men.

Church in Jupilles Vandalized

July 26, 2016, France

Unknown perpetrators broke into the church of Saint-Pierre of Jupilles and ripped the central electronic control panel of the bells from the wall. The box was found on the altar. The Mayor said "It is the symbol of the sacred is affected. There is a will to harm."

Anti-Catholic Graffiti at Church in Besançon

July 26, 2016, France

The newly-constructed chapel of the Priestly Fraternity of Saint Pius X was vandalized with anti-Catholic, anarchist slogans.

Parliamentary Inquiry Finds UK Doctors Risk Losing Jobs For Refusing To Perform Abortion

July 21, 2016, United Kingdom

British pro-life doctors and nurses face hostility, loss of advancement, and pressure to perform or refer for abortions despite legislation guaranteeing their right to conscientiously object, according to a parliamentary inquiry.

Statue of Virgin Mary and Jesus Decapitated at 1700 meters in Corsica

July 21, 2016, France

The mountaintop statue of the Virgin Mary of la fontaine du lac de Ninu holding the infant Jesus was vandalized, with the heads and arms cut off both figures.

Funding for Christian Charity Cut for Encouraging Homosexual Celibacy

July 19, 2016, Netherlands

"Hart van Homo's" (Heart for Gays), a Christian charity that encourages celibacy for gay Christians, lost governmental funding after the ruling party argued that it sent the wrong message.

Desecration at Church in Les Herbiers

July 18, 2016, France

Four young men broke into the church of Saint-Pierre and overturned benches, broke vases, and emptied a fire extinguisher. They urinated and defecated in the holy water on the altar and on the altar itself.

Street Preacher Arrested for Hate Crime for Quoting Bible to Gay Teenager

July 17, 2016, United Kingdom

Gordon Larmour, a Christian evangelist, was charged with behaving in a "threatening or abusive manner aggravated by prejudice relating to sexual orientation" and "assault", after he referred to the Book of Genesis and stated that God created Adam and Eve to produce children in response to a 19-year-old's question about God's views on homosexuality. He spent one night in prison. Six months later, a court in Kilmarnock, Scotland acquitted him of all charges.

Two Churches Targeted during Attempted Coup

July 15, 2016, Turkey

Two churches in cities in eastern Turkey infamous as the sites of historic killings of Christians were vandalized during the attempted coup on 15 July, 2016.

Church in Toulouse Profaned and Vandalized

July 14, 2016, France

The church of Saint-Pierre des Chartreux was vandalized: The tabernacle door was torn off and part of the book collection of the prayers of the faithful was burned. Other objects were overturned. A police report was filed.

Order of Nuns Fined for Firing Lesbian Teacher

July 14, 2016, Italy

An order of nuns was ordered to pay 25,000 Euros to a teacher for discontinuing her employment based on the incompatibility of her sexual orientation with the Catholic school’s ethos.

Arson in Cemetery and Church in Nice a Day Before Bastille Day Attack

July 13, 2016, France

A fire was set in the cemetery of Caucade in Nice West, where three tombs were blackened. One hour later, a fire was discovered in the church of Saint-Marc and a door was damaged.

Evangelical Church Burned in Calais

July 12, 2016, France

No casualties were reported, but the damage was considerable: the roof collapsed and the building was destroyed. The cause of the fire is being investigated and arson has not been ruled out.

Man Burst into Church and Smashed Ancient Crucifix to the Ground

July 12, 2016, Italy

The young man of North African origin rushed into the church of St. Jeremiah, in Cannaregio, Venice and threw a large crucifix to the floor, heavily damaging the religious artifact.

German Bishops Conference and Protestant Evangelical Church in Germany Issue Joint Statement

July 12, 2016, Germany

Cardinal Marx, chair of German Bishops' Conference and Bishop Heinrich Bedford-Strohm, head of the Protestant Evangelical Church in Germany (EKD), united to condemn the attacks on Christians and other religious minorities in camps.

Arsonist Arrested for Abbey Fire

July 10, 2016, France

A 42-year old man confessed to setting at least fifteen fires including one that damaged the Abbey Saint-Austremoine in Issoire on July 3. The blaze, which destroyed a confessional, a table and some chairs, was quickly extinguished. The fire caused great upset among the population. The suspect was indicted for "intentional damage by dangerous means to people."

Four Churches Tagged with Offensive Messages

July 10, 2016, France

The churches of La Motte, Lauren, Loudéac, and Lachèze in the region of Côtes-d'Armor were painted with the word "Pédophile."

Religion Classes in Belgium to be Replaced with Citizenship Classes

July 7, 2016, Belgium

The country's religious education classes in French-speaking primary and secondary schools will be cut in half in October 2016 and replaced with a weekly hour of citizenship classes, over the objection of students and teachers.

Russia's Anti-Terrorism Law Restricts Missionary Activities

July 7, 2016, Russia

The new law bans preaching, praying, proselytizing, and disseminating religious materials outside of officially-designated sites, and authorizes fines for these activities conducted in private residences or distributed through mass print, broadcast or online media.

Church Desecrated in Messina

July 3, 2016, Italy

The church of Santa Elena was the victim of desecration, theft, and vandalism on July 3rd. The parish priest discovered the tabernacle completely emptied, smashed and detached from the wall. A statue of the Virgin Mary was decapitated, and a ciborium full of consecrated Hosts was stolen, along with an ancient reliquary containing a fragment of the Holy Cross.

Statue of Virgin Mary Decapitated in Vineyard

July 1, 2016, France

The statue, located on private property in Chadenac and surrounded by a wrought iron fence, was vandalized and its head was broken off.

Belgian Nursing Home Fined €6,000 for Refusing to Allow Euthanasia on Premises

June 30, 2016, Belgium

Judges in Belgium fined a Catholic nursing home after it prevented doctors from giving a lethal injection to a 74-year-old lung cancer sufferer on its premises.

Lay Association Calls for Mayor's Resignation for Assisting in Catholic Blessing

June 29, 2016, Spain

The president of Asturias Laica, Jose Luis Iglesias, has formally requested that the Mayor of Gijon, Carmen Moriyón, resign from office for assisting in the Catholic ritual of the blessing of the waters in the feast of San Pedro, the city’s patron saint, which was celebrated on June 29.

Man Attacked Malmö Church

June 26, 2016, Sweden

A man broke into St. Paul's Church in central Malmö and vandalized it, including breaking the stained glass windows. According to the police, it will be investigated as a hate crime as they suspect that the man attacked the church because it is a symbol of the Christian faith.

Statue of Saint Petronio Defaced by Vandals

June 26, 2016, Italy

The statue, the civil and religious symbol of the city of Bologna, was defaced with "Allah Akbar" painted on the base. The Archdiocese of Bologna condemned the act and police are investigating.

Christian Convert Attacked at Asylum Home in Halbe

June 25, 2016, Germany

Two young Afghan men severely attacked a woman from Iran because she converted from Islam to Christianity, according to police.

Co-Workers Found Not Guilty of Religiously Aggravated Offense

June 24, 2016, United Kingdom

A York jury heard evidence about sustained bullying of a teenage apprentice, a Catholic, by tying him to a cross in a mock crucifixion, among other acts, during a trial. They found the accused guilty of assault, but not guilty of religiously aggravated assault.

Valencia Cardinal Accused of Hate Speech for Homily Criticizing Gender Ideology Legislation

June 23, 2016, Spain

Cardinal Antonio Cañizares was accused of hate speech by the Feminist Platform of Alicante, along with 55 other LGBT organizations. They alleged that his homily was "full of hatred, homophobic and sexist." On June 23, 2016 he was cleared of the charges.

Bonn Basilica Vandalized

June 21, 2016, Germany

A 24-year-old man was arrested after he entered the crypt of the shrine to the city patrons Cassius and Florentius and caused extensive damage to the crypt, tabernacle, and the sarcophagus in which the relics of the saints are held.

Arson in Swiss Confessional

June 21, 2016, Switzerland

On July 2, Swiss police arrested a 51-year old suspected of intentionally setting fire to a confessional in the St. Gallon Cathedral.

Large Pentagram and 666 Painted on Church Graveyard

June 19, 2016, United Kingdom

A vandal sprayed satanic symbols, a large pentagram, and the number 666 onto the lawn of the graveyard at All Saints Church in Hull, Yorkshire.

German Newspaper: Orlando Shooter Could Just as Well Have Been Christian

June 16, 2016, Germany

German newspaper Süddeutsche Zeitung a published commentary on the Orlando shooting in which it said the crime had nothing to do with Islam and everything to do with “homophobia” and that the shooter could just as well have been an Evangelical Christian.

Church of England Accused of Discrimination

June 16, 2016, United Kingdom

The Church of England has been accused of discriminating against a lesbian couple by refusing to conduct their wedding.

Two Men Arrested for Vandalizing Cathedral

June 16, 2016, France

The cathedral Saint-Julien du Mans was spray painted with a dozen messages including "Ni dieu, ni maître", "Anti autorité", "belle porte", and "Le Mans zone pacifiée". Police caught the perpetrators in the act and took them into custody.

Vandals Deface Church in Slovenia

June 15, 2016, Slovenia

A Catholic church in Celje was defaced with satanic words and symbols, resulting in 3,000 euros in damage.

Beloved Shrine Vandalized

June 15, 2016, Spain

The statues of the Virgin of Candelabra and Santo Herman Pedro were beheaded by unknown vandals in a sanctuary in the mountain town of Cabo Blanco in Tenerife.

Christian Converts in Hamburg Threatened

June 14, 2016, Germany

Security guards at refugee camps in Hamburg have reportedly told the Christian residents to keep their faith a secret, claiming they cannot protect them if their secret is revealed.

Christian Refugees Attacked by Muslims during Ramadan

June 12, 2016, Germany

A Christian refugee family of four was attacked by Muslims in their shared refugee accommodations for not participating in Ramadan. The family members were taken to a hospital in Seligenstadt due to their injuries. The mother and two sons were attacked with chairs and one of the sons was struck in the arms with a sharp object. The father suffered from arrhythmia due to the attack. During the attack the radical Muslims stated "Let us kill the unbelieving Christians, punish!" ("Lasst uns die ungläubigen Christen abschlachten, bestrafen!"). Police were able to intervene and the Christian family has been moved to a different refugee accommodation.

Two Church Fires in a Weekend in Narón

June 11, 2016, Spain

In the early hours of Friday, June 10th to Saturday, June 11, two clearly intentional fires were discovered in two different churches in Narón. Each resulted in significant damage to the religious buildings. Incendiary devices were found in both churches. The fires were investigated by agents of the state security forces, as well as the local Narón police.

Holy See Urges OSCE and Council of Europe to Pay Attention to Discrimination Against Christians

June 9, 2016, European Institutions (EU, ECHR, et.al.)

The Holy See’s Permanent Representative to UN offices in Vienna, Msgr. Janusz Urbanczyk, has urged the Organization for Security and Cooperation in Europe (OSCE) and the Council of Europe to pay greater attention to discrimination against Europe’s Christians.

Parliamentary Report Finds Inadequate Assessment of Religion-Based Asylum Claims

June 7, 2016, United Kingdom

The All Party Parliamentary Group for International Freedom of Religion or Belief released a 35-page report in which it said the questions used to assess conversion asylum claims demonstrated a "lack of understanding and misperceptions of religion."

Christian Union Banned From Holding Meetings on College Premises

June 7, 2016, United Kingdom

A Christian union has been banned from holding meetings on college premises, as a result of the government’s counter-terrorism strategy "Prevent".

Islamists Attack Christian Refugees

June 7, 2016, Germany

A group of 30 thirty people, led by a self-proclaimed imam, attacked a Syrian Christian and his roommate at the Rottach-Egern refugee accommodation.

Relic of Pope John Paul II Stolen from Cologne Cathedral

June 5, 2016, Germany

German police report that unknown perpetrators stole a small piece of fabric with a drop of the Pope's blood.

Christian Refugees in Austria Harassed and Threatened

June 5, 2016, Austria

Christian refugees in various accommodation centers in Austria endured abuse at the hands of Muslim fellow refugees, including being forced to wake early in the morning to pray, being told they were impure, having belongings stolen, and instances of physical violence.

Court Case begins for Norwegian Doctor Fired for Exercising Right to Conscience

June 1, 2016, Norway

Katarzyna Jachimowicz, a Polish family physician working in Norway, became the first medical professional in the country fired because she exercised her conscience rights by refusing to administer abortifacients.

Church the Victim of Two Fires in One Day

May 24, 2016, Belgium

In Mont-Sainte-Geneviève, two fires significantly damaged an historic church. The first started in the sacristy. The fire fighters had just left the scene after managing to control that fire when another much bigger fire in the church roof was reported.

European Court of Human Rights Finds Turkey Interfered with Freedom of Religion

May 24, 2016, Turkey

The case concerned the inability of Mersin and Izmir Jehovah's Witnesses in Turkey to obtain an appropriate place to engage in worship due to restrictive laws. The ECtHR held that such restrictions amounted to a direct interference with their freedom of religion.

Three Incidents in Churches in the Same Region in Just Two Weeks

May 22, 2016, France

In a press release Father Benoît Delabre reported that on May 15th the altar in the Church of St. Madeleine-de-l'Île was set on fire in Martigues, about 800 kilometers south of Paris. On the same day, another unknown person desecrated the tabernacle which contained the consecrated hosts in the church at Jonquières in the same region. Additionally, Father Delabre himself was attacked a week later by a man he caught at the church door who appeared to be “trying to steal something.”

Green Party a Threat to Religious Liberty in Australia

May 21, 2016, International

Archbishop Anthony Fisher warned that religious liberty is at stake in Australia's national elections because of the Green's proposed $32 million "Safe Schools" Program which would charge parents, schools, and churches with discrimination if they fail to conform.

Catholic Pensioner Murdered in her Sleep; Left with Crucifix in her Hands

May 19, 2016, Germany

A 27-year old Muslim man was found guilty and given a life sentence for the murder of a 70-year-old woman in Bad Friedrichshall on May 19, 2016. After strangling the woman with a telephone cord, Abubaker C. left writing on the wall "It's payback time" and put a cross in the woman's hands. He then stole valuables and fled. The prosecution argued that the murderer's motive was both theft and to kill a "disbeliever".

Catholic Nursing Home to Stand Trial for Denying Active Euthanasia

May 18, 2016, Belgium

In 2011, after initially agreeing to euthanasia for a 74-year-old cancer patient, a Catholic nursing home denied the physician access to the patient. The patient had to be taken home where she could receive the doctor.

Evangelical Church Attacked in Manosque

May 18, 2016, France

An Assemblies of God church in Provence-Alpes-Côte d'Azurin was the victim of arson. Bibles and other books inside the church were stacked up and burnt, according to Pastor Alain Denizou.

Catholic and Protestant Churches Protest Exclusion from Population Information

May 17, 2016, Netherlands

Legislation puts an end to a program that helped churches keep track of their local memberships using data provided by the municipal administration.

Christian Refugees Face Discrimination in Austria

May 13, 2016, Austria

According to the NGO "Christian Solidarity International" (CSI), Christian refugees are being repeatedly discriminated against in Austrian refugee centers.

Greens Demand Ban on Pro-Life Presentations at Schools

May 12, 2016, Austria

In April 2016, members of the Green Party in Austria submitted a Parliamentary Question to evaluate possible actions to stop “pro-life” workshops in religious education.

Vandalism at Catholic School in Nantes

May 11, 2016, France

Catholic School Notre-Dame de l’Abbaye in Nantes was vandalized twice in two weeks.

Arms of Jesus on Crucifix Statue Broken

May 3, 2016, Germany

Twice in four weeks, an unknown perpetrator broke the arms off the Jesus figure displayed above hotels along a route frequently used by walkers and cyclists.

106 Catholic Websites Hacked by Tunisian "Cyberjihadists"

April 16, 2016, France

On April 16th, many Catholics discovered that their parish website’s home page was replaced with messages in English denouncing "terrorism against Muslims” in Burma by Buddhists, and in Palestine by "Zionists" or in Mali by the "French forces." The messages were set against a black background and topped with a Tunisian flag.

Television Presenter Calls Christian a "Homophobe"; Receives No Sanctions

April 12, 2016, United Kingdom

Piers Morgan will not face sanctions after asking a Christian who opposed same-sex marriage whether he was a "homophobe".

Pro-Abortion Activist Dresses as Bishop; Hands out Abortion Pills at "Communion"

April 10, 2016, Hungary

Pro-Abortion activists held a demonstration on April 10 in front of the Polish Embassy in Budapest to protest the tightening of Poland's abortion law.

Turkey Seizes Six Churches as State Property

April 6, 2016, Turkey

In the region of Diyarbakir, the Turkish government seized huge sections of property, including six churches. One of these is a 1,700 year old Syriac Orthodox Church.

Magistrate Removed from Office, Suspended from NHS Trust, for Christian Belief in Traditional Family

March 29, 2016, United Kingdom

A Christian magistrate Richard Page has been removed from office by the Lord Chancellor after sharing his personal conviction in a media interview that there is not enough evidence to show that placing children in the care of same-sex couples is in their best interest.

Arson in Calais Church

March 28, 2016, France

L’église Saint-Pierre suffered deliberate damage during the afternoon of Easter Monday: five separate fires started inside the building while it was open to the public. The abbot has filed a complaint.

Several Statues Vandalized over Ten Days in Lyon Churches

March 22, 2016, France

On March 22nd, several statues of St. Joseph, located in the chapel of Notre-Dame-des-Neiges and the church of Saint-Pothin, were destroyed by vandals.

Attack at Brussels Airport and Metro Killed 32 People; Injured over 300

March 22, 2016, Belgium

ISIS took responsibility for three coordinated suicide bombings in Brussels: two at Zaventem Airport and one at Maalbeek metro station which killed 32 people from around the world and injured over 300. The Islamic State announced "By the grace of Allah and His gratitude alone, a security detachment from the soldiers of the Caliphate, may Allah dignify it and support it, launched to target Crusader Belgium..."

Vandals Hit a Chapel in Upper Bavaria

March 19, 2016, Germany

During the night of March 19, unknown perpetrators entered a small chapel in Obervockling, removed a statue of the Virgin Mary, and set a plastic flower vase, small altar cloths, and some branches on fire inside the chapel.

Series of Suspicious Fires in Blois Cathedral

March 18, 2016, France

Firefighters responded quickly to extinguish the fire, which originated with burning furniture in the Cathédrale Saint-Louis during the afternoon of March 18th.

Chapel Vandalized in Mailleroncourt-Charette

March 14, 2016, France

A small chapel dedicated to St. Léger was the victim of vandalism and attempted theft. Unknown perpetrators broke through the iron doors and dismantled the limestone slab floor, with the apparent intent to steal the materials.