The Catalonia Green Initiative (ICV), a left political fraction in the Spanish Congress, presented a motion to condemn Pope Benedict Statements made in Africa regarding HIV and the use of preservatives. The motion which was led by Joan Herrera and received the support of two members of the Popular Party (PP), Ana Pastor and Celia Villalobos.
Tombstones were tipped over, crosses broken, plaques and ornaments wrecked, flower pots put into pieces: a shocking sigh for the inhabitants. “I was disgusted to discover that,” says Gwenhaël François, mayor of Montbron.
Saint Joseph’s church of Clermont-Ferrand was partially destroyed by fire set to it on purpose. The fire started at 11:55 a.m. on Saturday, April 25th, and was mastered by the firemen only at 5 p.m. Philippe Kloeckner, the parish priest, explained that he had reported to the police a first attempt of fire against the church on Friday April 24th.
The Belgian Chamber and Senate overwhelmingly approve of two decisions that formally condemn the pope for having stated that the distribution of condoms will not help to prevent the spread of HIV/AIDS. The pope’s position is called a “crime against humanity."
Television program ANNOZERO openly insults Christianity by showing satirical vignettes of the Way of the Cross.
On the 27th of April 2009, the cemetery di Vezzo in the Comune della Provincia di Verbano Cusio Ossola was desecrated.
Christianity is being targeted on British television. The popular TV soap Coronation Street featured a series of outspoken attacks on the Christian faith. Numerous TV series and broadcasts present Christianity as ridiculous and absurd.
In March 2009, more than 100 participants of an unannounced counter-demonstration partially blocked a pro-life organisations, the so called 1000-crosses-march, in Muenster (Münster). The chairman of the pro-life organisation Euro pro Life, Wolfgang Hering, responsible for the march, had been surrounded by a large number of tourblemakers. Only under threat of coercive measures by the police, he was released by the attackers.
A group of Christian and Muslim parents who kept their children away from controversial lessons about homosexuality were reportedly facing legal action by the council involved.
A Christian minister was brutally attacked in London by three men who ripped off his cross, stole his Bible and threatened to break his legs. Metropolitan Police treated the case as a ‘faith hate’ assault.