All cases

Conservative Party Councillor Gets Suspended After Objecting Gay Talks in a School

November 25, 2010, United Kingdom

A conservative party councillor in Bristol has been “voluntarily suspended” and asked by the party to meet with homosexualist activists after he objected to appearances by a homosexualist campaigner and actor, Sir Ian McKellen, at local schools.

Public Funds Used in Campaign Against Catholic Church

November 25, 2010, Spain

Government funded atheist forum at the occasion of the Pope's visit to Barcelona concludes that "there was an increase of conflicts with a religious background, religious leaders used faith to subjugate the world, religious hierarchy attacked democracy, and religion restricted the exercise of freedom of conscience."

"Santo Ángel" School in Albacete Reported For Offering Students the Opportunity to Pray

November 22, 2010, Spain

A small group of parents of Santo Angel School reported the School’s Catholic Center to the Ministry of Education of Murcia for "radical ideas” for organizing an optional weekly praying hour.

Catholic School Fined For Not Hiring a Protestant Teacher

November 12, 2010, Ireland

A Catholic national school found guilty of ''discrimination'' by Equality Tribunal and fined more than €12,000 for not hiring a Protestant teacher.

Statues of Mary, Mother of Jesus, Covered in Condoms in Art Exhibit

November 10, 2010, Austria

The lower Austrian main building of government (NÖ-Landhaus) hosts an exhibition which displays Mary, the mother of Jesus, covered in a condom and sperma. This exhibition is funded by public money and approved by governor Erwin Pröll.

Atheist Father Obtains Withdrawal of Crucifix in Bavarian Highschool Despite Other Parent's Protests

November 10, 2010, Germany

An atheist father obtains the withdrawal of a crucifix in his son’s classroom in Regensburg (Bavaria, Germany) despite the opposition of the majority of parents. Morning prayer was changed to a neutral “Good Morning Circle”.

Political Spokeswoman States That "The Church in Spain is Sustained Tick”

November 10, 2010, Spain

In a session the Government, the spokeswoman of Esquerra Republicana, Joan Ridao, has called the Catholic Church in Spain to be "a kind of sustained, a luxury tick" (“mantenida y garrapata”).

Generalitat Catalana and Government Fund a Forum Against Public Presence of Catholic Church

November 10, 2010, Spain

The Ministries of Foreign Affairs and Equality, the Generalitat of Catalonia, Barcelona City Council and La Caixa funded the Forum Libertat 2010 on the same days on which the historic visit of Pope Benedict XVI to Santiago and Barcelona took place. The Forum advocated the withdrawal of the public presence of the Catholic Church.

“Ortega y Gasset” School in Almendralejo (Badajoz) Forced to Remove Crucifixes From Classrooms

November 9, 2010, Spain

The parents of two students of the public school Ortega y Gasset in Almendralejo (Badajoz) succeeded in their campaign to remove crucifixes from classrooms and prohibit religious ceremonies. The school parent association, who opposes these decisions, called for a protest.

Threats and Attempts of Fire in a Church Near Avignon

November 6, 2010, France

Saint-John’s parish near Avignon has been the target of a number of threats and intimidations: insulting tags in the church’s walls, feces thrown on the church, a young man even entered the church during mass, urinated and screamed to the parishioners: “we’ll toast you all in fire, you and your church”. A fire was also started in a tree growing against the church, probably in order to burn the church itself. Father Gabriel, the parish priest, regrets and condemns “an increasingly aggressive and violent climate”.