All cases

French Anti-Sect Governmental Mission Raids in Catholic Communities

April 13, 2012, France

Since the presidency of MIVILUDES (Interministerial Mission of Vigilance and Fight against Sectarian Drifts) by Georges Fenech, several small Catholic communities have increasingly been targeted, the last one being "Amour and Miséricorde" (Love and Mercy).

Vandalism in a Church in Haute-Savoie

April 7, 2012, France

On Good Saturday, just a few hours before the Easter Vigil, three men entered the Church of Cruseilles (Haute-Savoie) and set fire to leaflets, prayer and singing books. An altar’s tablecoth was also burnt and the main altar damaged.

Homosexual Lobby Campaign Offensive Towards Christianity

April 7, 2012, Belgium

The LGBT association “Arc-enCiel Wallonie” runs a campaign based on 33 different pro-LGBT T-shirts. Among various messages, three of them offend Christianity: “Jesus too had two dads”, “Marie, first surrogate mother” and “GOD made me gay” (two first ones originally in French: “Jésus aussi avait deux papas”, “Marie première mère porteuse”).

Church Leader Threatened and Abused in Turkey

April 7, 2012, Turkey

On April 7th, 2012 in Istambul, four men requested to enter a church. When the church leader told them to come back the next day because it was too late in the day, they threatened to kill him unless he recited the Muslim creed. Then they hit him and fled the place, the church later installed security systems.

Christian Club Reproached by Anti-Discrimination Authority

April 6, 2012, Germany

The Catholic Schützenverein voted in March 450 to 28 to not to allow homosexual or lesbian „kings“ or „queens“ to preside activities together with their partners. The German federal anti-discrimination commission screened this decision and declared it to be in disrespect of the law.

Blasphemous Exhibition in Neufchâtel

April 4, 2012, Switzerland

"Would Christ have been Gay?" is the name of the exhibition in Neufchâtel, displayed from March 29th to May 12th in the 'Galerie C' of Neufchâtel (Switzerland). The four artist argue that they wanted to explore - through art - the question of Christ’s sexuality.

Pop Star Madonna Profanes Christian Faith

March 28, 2012, International

It is not the first time the pop star Madonna uses the bashing of Catholicism as a base for the writing of her lyrics. “Girl Gone Wild” begins with the first few lines of the Roman-Catholic Act of Contrition as it shows the 53-year-old singer in black tight pants and stiletto heels while surrounded by topless men.

Churches Tagged in Couvin

March 26, 2012, Belgium

The doors of seven churches of Couvin, in the diocese of Namur, Belgium, were targeted by vandals. The front door of the church of Couvin was marked in white paint saying "Religion is the opium of the people".

European Championship: Bibles and Crosses Forbidden

March 23, 2012, European Institutions (EU, ECHR, et.al.)

The 14th edition of the European Championship Euro 2012, organized by the European Union of Football Associations (UEFA), will take place from June 8th to July 1st, 2012 in Poland and in the Ukraine. The leaders of the Polish Football Association have indicated the certain objects that will be forbidden to spectators in stadiums. Among these objects, crosses and Bibles are stated as part of the category of "racist and xenophobic materials, based on political and religious propaganda."

Cemetery Vandalised in Suhopole

March 20, 2012, Croatia

On the 20th of March 2012 the Apostolic Nunciature in Croatia reported that a cemetery in the city of Suhopole, Croatia, had been vandalised.