All cases
Church CCTV Damaged by Vandals
August 17, 2018, United KingdomVandals damaged a CCTV camera from St. Mark's Parish Church in Raploch just one day after it was installed. The church had been subject to repeated acts of vandalism and a couple of CCTV cameras were installed in order to deter anti-social behavior. While one camera was damaged, the other cameras were already doing their job as they identified those responsible for the incident, enabling the police to trace them and take action.
Tourist Information for Italian Church Destroyed
August 16, 2018, ItalyTourist information that explains the history of the Greek church of Santa Maria degli Angeli was knocked down and torn from the sidewalk. The church has repeatedly been subjected to acts of vandalism.
Bishop of Liège Threatened and Robbed at Home
August 15, 2018, BelgiumDuring the night between the 14th to the 15th of August, thieves broke into the bishop's home through a toilet window on the ground floor. They assaulted both Bishop Jean-Pierre Delville as well as his godson who was also present in the house. They demanded cash, believing that the money collected from the churches was kept there. Having no cash in the house, the bishop and his godson had to resort to the money the godson had kept saved up for a trip abroad. They further asked for gold and valuable paintings, a Picasso in particular. The bishop gave them three chalices and pointed them towards four pieces of art from the 17th century that decorated the council chamber. After hitting one of the victims and threatening to kill them, they locked the bishop and his godson in a bathroom, where they were found the next morning. The thieves were described as "masked and professional" and explained they needed money to cure the 5-year-old daughter of one of them. They spoke German, as well as an unidentified foreign language and only spoke French poorly. The damage has been estimated to amount to 20 000 euros. An investigation is ongoing.
Vue Cinemas Breached Contract by Refusing to Screen 'Voices of the Silenced'
August 15, 2018, United KingdomAfter Vue Cinemas cancelled the screening of the film 'Voices of the Silenced' at the last minute in February, the film's producers launched a legal challenge against Vue. In August, Vue agreed to pay a nominal amount for breaching the contract. A spokesperson from Vue has said, however, that they stand by their decision of not screening the movie as it was "in direct conflict with its values." 'Voices of the Silenced' is a film by Christian organization Core Issues Trust about people who have left behind same-sex attraction practices.
Man Arrested for Defacing Church
August 15, 2018, United KingdomA man was arrested after spraying graffiti on several buildings in Andover including St. Mary's Church where the anarchist symbol was painted on the church door and the number 666 was left in red on the steps outside. The incident is suspected to have taken place some time between the 8th of August and the early hours of the 10th of August.
Leftists Attack Group for Wearing Catholic University T-Shirts
August 14, 2018, SpainOn August 18th, national police arrested two members of an extreme left group for assaulting a group of young people because they did not like the T-shirts they wore, namely the shirts of the Catholic University San Antonio de Murcia. The incident occurred in one of the pubs in area of the university a few days earlier. The victims were first insulted, then threatened, and were finally attacked. One of the victims received stitches, suffering an ocular hemorrhage. The 19 and 28-year-old perpetrators from Spain and Brazil were identified by photographs and were already known to the police for their membership in ultra-left groups. They were charged with crimes against fundamental rights (hate crimes) and injuries.
Arson Attack on Church in Rosolini
August 11, 2018, ItalyDuring night from the 10th to the 11th of August a fire was set in the church of Santa Caterina da Siena. The back of the church structure was set on fire and the flames penetrated into the warehouse where plastic caps which were collected for the charity project "Stappiao la speranza" were stored. More than 1,000 kilos of the caps went up in smoke and there was serious damage done to the church. The funds resulting from the project were to be sent to the twin parish Butembo Beni in the Democratic Republic of Congo. The incident left the church perplexed and the Mayor and Prime Minister expressed their solidarity. The incident was reported to the police.
Man Arrested for Vandalism at Guernsey Church
August 10, 2018, United KingdomAn 18-year-old man was arrested for vandalizing St. John's Church in St. Peter Port on Guernsey. The church had been smeared with graffiti and notes with 'obscene' messages of 'religious hate' were left. The incident left the vicar and churchgoers upset. The police began an investigation.
Sacristy Broken into and Robbed in Carville
August 9, 2018, FranceThe sacristy of the church of Carville (Calvados) was robbed and various objects were stolen including candle sticks. The wooden door to the sacristy was broken. A complaint was filed with the police.
Christ Statue Defaced
August 9, 2018, FranceA public statue of Christ in Thonon-les-Bains was vandalized, with its face completely covered with black paint.
No Syrian Christian Refugees Admitted in First Quarter 2018; Lord Alton Queries Home Secretary
August 7, 2018, United KingdomNot a single Christian was among the 1,112 Syrian refugees resettled in the UK in the first three months of 2018. In response to a Freedom of Information request from Barnabas Fund, the UK Home Office released figures on Syrian refugees resettled in the UK for the first quarter of 2018. The UN High Commission for Refugees (UNHCR) recommended 1,358 Syrian refugees for resettlement in the UK of which only 4 were Christians, representing a tiny fraction of just 0.29%. No Yazidis at all were recommended by the UN. The Home Office agreed to resettle 1,112 of these (82%), all of whom were Muslims, and approved no Christians.
Fire Set to Syrian Orthodox Church in Norrköping
August 6, 2018, SwedenSt. Maria's Syrian Orthodox Church in Norrköping began to burn just after 2am on 6th of August. When rescue services arrived at the scene, there were open flames across the facade of the wooden church. 30 firemen from seven stations were able to get the fire under control by 3.40am. The police came to the conclusion that the fire was the result of arson when a fire dog found a flammable liquid on the scene, which technicians confirmed. The church was heavily damaged and it will take some time for it to be renovated. Members of the church, to which 1100 people belong, were upset and shocked. Police are searching for the perpetrator.
"KISS" Graffiti on Facade of Santiago de Compostela Cathedral
August 6, 2018, SpainA 12th century sculpture on the facade of the cathedral of Santiago de Compostela was painted to make the statue look like a member of American rock band KISS. The name "KISS" was also written across the body of the statue. The marble statue was restored the same afternoon and the police started looking for the perpetrator who, if found guilty, would face a fine of between 6,000 and 150,000 euros.
The chapel Notre-Dame-des Affligés vandalised
August 6, 2018, FranceThe chapel had been vandalised before, but not damaged to the same degree it was on August 6th. The broken door was found in the neighbouring pasture, many statues were broken, some even crumbled, the wooden base of the Virgin Mary was damaged, chairs and vases were broken, the interior walls were marred. The police has stated that " in the view of the law, it is more religious desecration than vandalism". They have started an investigation. The door has been repaired by people of good will and put back in its place. Concerning the broken statues, the ARARCO association has been contacted to evaluate the finances necessary to restore the chapel. The people responsible for the church have said that if the amount of finances needed is large, a call for donations will be launched on the internet. Many people affected by this act of vandalism have offered to give them statues and vases to bring the small chapel back to life.
Four Fires Set in Saint-Pierre de Neuilly
August 5, 2018, FranceOn the 5th of August Four fires were started in the parish church Saint-Pierre in Neuilly-sur-Seine at about 2:30 in the afternoon. They were noticed by two people who had been waiting for the bus on the Avenue du Roule but had entered the church to cool down. They smelled smoke and found fires at four different locations near the entrance. The passersby rushed to extinguish the flames with water to keep the fire from spreading. Fourteen firemen with three engines were called to the site. The perpetrators had started the fires by setting flames to flyers and a prayer book. They had also left a piece of paper on a candle at the foot of a statue. No material damage was caused. The parish filed a complaint and the police started an investigation.
Jewelry Dedicated to the Virgin Mary Stolen from Church
August 5, 2018, ItalyThe Church of Corlo di Formigine was robbed during the night between the 4th and 5th of August. The thieves took advantage of village celebration of the feast of la Madonna della Neve to steal golden chains, bracelets, and rings that had been donated by the faithful as a pledge to the Virgin Mary over the years. The jewelry was kept inside the reliquary which protects the fresco of the Virgin Mary and had been displayed in the church for the occasion of the festival. This act of vandalism has left the community upset.
Figure of Virgin Mary Damaged in Important Marian Shrine
August 3, 2018, PolandThe statue of the Virgin Mary in the small Shrine of Our Lady - the Teacher of Young People in Warsaw-Sierkierki was destroyed by vandals some time between August 2nd and 3rd. The perpetrators opened the glass case which protects the statue and damaged the statue. The shrine is important because of the Marian apparitions that appeared in the Siekierki region between 1943 and 1949. Police began an investigation and the parish held a reparation Mass for the vandalism and prayed for the conversion of the perpetrators.
Vandal damages outdoor furniture of church Santa Corce in Villaseta
August 1, 2018, ItalyA vandal went on a rampage outside the church of Santa Corce in Villaseta, a district of Agrigento. He broke pots of plants placed around the statue of Padre Pio and other outdoor furniture. He tried to enter the church where dozens of faithful had taken refuge. The vandal himslef hurt himself during his escalation and even left traces of blood scattered on the floor. The parishioners themselves called the police. An investigation was started and footage from surveillance cameras retrieved. The police believe it was a fifty-year-old from the area.
Catholic Politician's Home Targeted with Vandalism
August 1, 2018, United KingdomConservative MP Jacob Rees-Mogg's Somerset home was vandalized with graffiti, condoms were hung on a small cross in the garden, and a sex toy covered with a condom was stuck on a car. While the politician has been controversial for his support for Brexit, media reports indicate that police suspect the sexual items were meant to target Rees-Mogg's Catholic faith and opposition to birth control.
Theft from Freto Church
July 30, 2018, ItalyJust a few days after a theft from the cathedral in Modena, two people, taking advantage of a deactivated alarm in the small church in Freto (Modena), stole a marble baptismal font. Although the theft was captured on surveillance cameras, the identity of the thieves was unclear. This was not the first theft from the isolated church and the nearby cemetery. The residents of the area were upset by the theft from the church.