All cases
No Parental Consent with Regard to Abortion
May 21, 2013, BelgiumParental consent with regard to abortion virtually does not exist. There is no legal requirement to inform the parents of a minor wanting abortion. However, if the minor needs full anaesthesia, the parents will need to give their consent.
State Claims Political Correctness in Schools
May 21, 2013, FranceThe state is very strict with regard to political correctness in schools. It is very difficult for Christian teachers to debate with their pupils about abortion. One of the most striking cases was Philippe Hisnard, a French Catholic teacher who was revoked and suspended from teaching because he organised a debate about abortion in a class of “civic education”.
Home-schooling Prohibited
May 21, 2013, Germany“Home-schooling” is prohibited. Parents’ rights are commonly understood to include the right to choose the form of education of one’s children, including the possibility of non-institutional education, such as so-called home-schooling. Germany, however, allows home-schooling only in the most exceptional circumstances. In general, parents do not have the option to home-school their children. Offenders have to pay fines, and occasionally prison sentences are pronounced.
Home-schooling Severely Limited
May 21, 2013, SlovakiaHome-schooling is severely limited in Slovakia. In fact, it is allowed only for pupils of 1st - 4th class in basic schools, for disabled children, or for children in custody and who are not able to go to school for longer than two months for health reasons. Permission for “individual education” must be granted by the director of the district school of the pupil. Another major problem is that the person who teaches the pupils must have a pedagogical university qualification. As a consequence, home-schooling is very rare in Slovakia.
State Educational Programme Angers Christian Parents
May 21, 2013, SpainSpanish educational law includes a set of mandatory subjects under the generic category of Education for Citizenship which are indoctrinatory and violates the rights of parents. The Education for Citizenship curriculum is mandatory for primary and secondary education (children ages 10-16), and must be implemented into all Spanish schools (public and private).
Home-schooling Practically Prohibited
May 21, 2013, SwedenAccording to the Education Act (2010:800) home-schooling is practically forbidden in Sweden. Home-schooling is allowed only when exceptional circumstances apply, which is hardly ever granted. According to the preparatory work of the government bill, permissions should be granted with great restraint, stating explicitly that religious and philosophical reasons are not to be considered as exceptional circumstances.
No Opt Out of Sex Education
May 21, 2013, SwedenIn 2011, the Swedish Educational Broadcasting Company, a public service company (UR), launched a sex education campaign in Swedish schools, called “Putting sex on the map” (co-produced by RFSU, a member of the International Planned Parenthood Federation), targeting children of lower secondary school age. Parents objected to the content of the materials, including explicit images and sex scenes, and scientific information, including physical and psychological risks of early sex debut and many sexual partners or abortion.
No Parental Consent Necessary for Minors' Abortion
May 21, 2013, SwedenThere is no parental consent with regard to abortion. Much attention was drawn to a case where an eleven-year-old girl had undergone two abortions in a very short period of time without parental consent. The Parliamentary Ombudsman held that it had gone too far and concluded that “it is obvious that a child of this age (11 years) does not have the maturity to consider the consequences of an abortion by herself.”
Province of Asturias Decides to Eliminate Religious Terms in Schools
May 20, 2013, SpainThe region’s education minister Doña Ana González Rodríguez asked the schools to remove the words Christmas and Easter from their calendars.
Vandalism Forces Churches in Breckerfeld to Install Security Cameras
May 18, 2013, GermanyIn a Catholic church in Breckerfeld, vandals left cigarette butts on benches and in the holy water, chewing gum on the organ and broke the Easter candle. A similar incident happened to the Protestant community in Breckerfeld. Both churches are accustomed to leaving the church unlocked so that people can enter at any time to pray or visit. In order to keep out the vandals they have decided to install surveillance cameras and tighten security measures by locking the organ and the loft of the church.
Anti-Christian Graffiti at Pro Life Manifestation
May 12, 2013, ItalyOn May 12th, about 30,000 people held a manifestation in favour of the protection of life in Rome. Graffiti on the way of the manifestation said: "All Catholics are Bastards." "The only Church which illuminates is a burning church." A cross turned upside down and the number 666 (for Christians an anti-Christian symbol) were spray-painted as well.
Altar in Catholic Church Set on Fire in Valence, Drôme
May 10, 2013, FranceThe altar of the church of Saint-Jean in Valence (Drôme) was purposefully set on fire on May 10. Parish priest Dominique Fornerod deplores the incident and ask the parishioners to pray for the perpetrators.
Socialist Youth Organisation Uses Image of Crucified Woman
May 9, 2013, SpainThe words, “You’re entitled to your life. You have the right to decide” were used on the poster of a Spanish socialist youth organization, Galician Socialist Youths, along with a picture of a crucified woman in order to advocate for abortion. As a sacred symbol to Christians, using the crucifix in such a way is perceived by many Christians as a mockery of the Christian faith.
Mother Forces Primary School to Remove Crucifixes
May 7, 2013, AustriaAt a primary school in Vienna crucifixes had to be taken off the walls because a mother felt that they were a “religious paternalism”. This was possible when it turned out that less than half of the pupils are registered as Christians. For the first time since National Socialism crucifixes were banned from class rooms.
Church Building Ransacked in Wolfsburg
May 6, 2013, GermanyUnidentified perpetrators broke into the Holy Spirit church building at Vorsfelde-Wendschott and ransacked several rooms. All the cabinets were searched and the lamp in the entry way was smashed.
Robbery in the Church in Marburg
May 5, 2013, GermanyA small amount of money was stolen by unidentified thieves from the church in Marburg, Germany. In early May the thieves stole two loudspeakers from the same church.
Graves Vandalised at in Crni Potok
May 5, 2013, CroatiaUnknown perpetrators vandalised an Orthodox cemetery in the village of Crni Potok, not far from Topusko. At this cemetery, 17 tombstones were damaged, numerous crosses were uprooted and parts of tombs were smashed. A criminal complaint was filed with the police for disturbing the peace of the deceased.
Anti-Christian Graffiti on Cathedral of St Pölten
May 1, 2013, AustriaUnknown perpetrators spray painted "We do not want your crosses" on the outside wall of the Catholic Cathedral of St. Pölten in the night to May 1st. The graffiti included crossed-out signs in cross-shapes, a swastika and a so-called Kruckenkreuz (an Austrian historic sign for the right-wing government between 1934-38). Next to a clearly anti-Christian message, the Christian cross was unfairly paired with the Nazi swastika.
Condom Present as Eucharist on Festival Stage
May 1, 2013, ItalyAt the annual “First of May” concert on Piazza San Giovanni in Rome the lead singer of the band “Management Post Operatorio” lifted a condom with both hands simulating the consecration of the Eucharist. While doing so, he said: “Take this all of you, and use it” before continuing with his song “Pornobisogno”. The concert was also broadcasted on Italian Television. The organisers of the “First of May” dissociated themselves from this incident.
Vandalism to Church in Riedlhütte
April 29, 2013, GermanySignificant damage was done to the church of Riedlhütte in Germany. The microphones in the church were damaged and thrown into the holy water, a statue of Jesus on the altar was damaged and the four crosses in the church entrance were damaged. The total damage is estimated at 1,200 euros.