All cases
Parliamentary Group Called for a Ban on Broadcasts of Mass on Public Television
February 20, 2017, SpainA parliamentary group in the Congress of Deputies presented a proposal calling for broadcasts of Mass on public television be prohibited, which they ask to be considered/debated by a commission that oversees RTVE, Spain’s public television station, and its affiliates.
Cemetery Ransacked in Saint-Pol-sur-Mer Cemetery
February 19, 2017, FranceAccording to reports, some time during the night of February 18-19, 2017, unknown perpetrators damaged and scattered around 30 gravestones in a cemetery in the prefect of Dunkirk. Many of the damaged plaques appear to be from Christian graves. Police are investigating.
Religious Statue Prohibited from Front of Church as "Too Religious"
February 16, 2017, FranceAfter complaints by the group Libre Pensées (Free Thought), a statue of Notre Dame de Granitiers commissioned by the Diabète Coeur association, is prohibited from being displayed in the forecourt of the church of Brusvily because it is considered a public place. The Church and State Separation Act of 1905 prohibits the display of religious objects in public places. 72% of readers of a local newspaper objected to this decision.
France Passed Law Banning Pro-Life Websites
February 16, 2017, FranceThe National Assembly passed a law which bans pro-life websites which attempt to discourage women from having abortions if the sites do not openly state “who they are, what they do and what they want.”
Work Begins to Remove Monumental Cross in Sant Carles de la Ràpita
February 16, 2017, SpainAfter the town council decreed that the cross outside the "Torre de Guardiola" fortress was erected in commemoration of General Franco's victory in the Spanish Civil War, it was ordered removed in compliance with the Historical Memory Law of 2007. Critics of this move note that the plaque linking the cross to Franco had already been removed.
Statue Stolen from Christian Grave
February 14, 2017, FranceThe statue known as "La Pleureuse" (the Mourner) was stolen from the cemetery of Saint-Germain-Lembron. Police are investigating.
Humanists Demand Religious Radio Program include Non-Religious Perspectives
February 14, 2017, United KingdomThe British Humanist Association sent a letter to the BBC demanding that its publicly-funded "Thought for the Day" Radio 4 program, which includes reflections from Christians and other faiths, also include non-religious speakers.
Graffiti against Catholic Parish Church in Murcia
February 13, 2017, SpainThe external walls of the parish of San Francisco Javier in Murcia were painted with threatening messages such as "Arderás como en 36" (You will burn like in 36; clear reference to the burning of churches during the Spanish Civil War) and also "Highway to hell".
Gendarmerie du Haut-Rhin Investigated Degradation in Church and Cemetery
February 12, 2017, FranceDuring the night of February 11th and 12th, unknown perpetrators broke a door and vandalized the church of Saint Etienne de Réguisheim and vandalized the nearby cemetery, as well.
Crucifix Statue Vandalized with Anarchist Graffiti
February 12, 2017, FranceA large statue of Christ on the Cross in a public square in Caen was spraypainted with the words "Ni Dieu; Ni Maitre" (No God; No Master) and the anarchist A symbol.