All cases
Life Sentence for IS Supporter's Bomb Plot on St. Paul's Cathedral
July 3, 2020, United KingdomOn July 3rd, Muslim convert Safiyya Amira Shaikh was sentenced to life with a minimum term of 14 years in jail for plotting a bomb attack on St. Paul's Cathedral London and a suicide bomb attack on the nearby underground station. Shaikh admitted the crime and showed no remorse; she wanted to kill as many "kufars" (unbelievers) as possible.
Severe Vandalism of Paintings in the Church Saint-Pierre d’Auxerre
July 3, 2020, FranceOn July 3rd, a Facebook page posted photos of paintings in the Church Saint-Pierre d’Auxerre that had been severely vandalized.
Man Arrested in Madrid after Shouting "I'm going to burn you all alive" during Mass
July 3, 2020, SpainOn July 3rd, Madrid's municipal police arrested a man after he burst into the San Ramón Nonato parish church in Puente de Vallecas, where a Mass was being celebrated, shouting "murderers, fags, and pedophiles! You should burn, I'm going to burn you all alive!"
Repeated Cases of Vandalism in Church of Bissendorf-Achelriede
July 2, 2020, GermanyIn the three weeks between June 11th and July 2nd, the church of Bissendorf-Achelriede was vandalized three times by unknown perpetrators. The first two incidents happened at two buildings belonging to the church, eight windows were smashed and a wall sprayed with graffiti. The last incident occurred in the church and resulted in twenty-eight smashed windows, causing a total estimated damage of over thirteen thousand euros.
Sacred Heart Statue Unbolted and Stolen in Saint-Jean-Sart
July 2, 2020, BelgiumBetween July 2nd and 3rd the newly-erected Sacred Heart of Jesus statue in the village of Saint-Jean-Sart was unbolted and stolen. The statue had been installed in the middle of June after extensive restoration by a community group. Local residents are shocked by the theft.
Threat of Criminal Sanctions to Churches Because of Covid-19
July 1, 2020, United KingdomChurch leaders launched legal action against the UK government for unnecessary and bizarre Covid-19 Regulations against Churches. Bans with threat of criminal sanctions were imposed on churches while businesses and restaurants were trusted to take their own decisions. Christian leaders find a total lack of understanding on the part of the Government for matters related to religion and Christianity.
Fire in the Youth Centre at the Thomas Morus Church
June 30, 2020, GermanyOn the evening of June 30th, a fire broke out in the youth centre, which is part of the Thomas Morus Church in Münster. The cause of the fire is still unclear but the investigation department of the police opened a case. No people were harmed during this fire.
British MP Receives Death Threat after Voting against Abortion Law
June 30, 2020, United KingdomIn June, a British MP received a death threat and other online abuse after voting in accordance with her pro-life convictions. Dr Lisa Cameron, SNP MP for East Kilbride, Strathaven and Lesmahagow, was sent the threat just days after voting against a pro-abortion bill, which limits support/protest near abortion clinics.
Catalan Priest Attacked With A Glass On The Neck
June 30, 2020, SpainOn July 30th in a parish on Consell de Cent Street, a priest came to the aid of an old lady in the church after overhearing an argument between her and an unknown man. The priest confronted the aggressor directly, who then attacked him with a glass and cut his neck. The perpetrator tried to run away but was stopped by a witness. The police arrived and arrested the individual, who has a violent robbery history.
Suspected Arson at San Girolamo Church in Rimini
June 29, 2020, ItalyOn June 29th, firefighters were called to the San Girolamo Church in the city of Rimini shortly after 3:30 in the afternoon. A pedestrian reported smoke emanating from the storage room of the church building where old furniture and plastic chairs formed the basis for the fire. Fortunately, the firefighting team was able to quell the blaze. A forensics team investigated whether the fire had been intentionally set, noting that nothing indicated that short circuits or similar faults were the cause of the fire.
La Dominelais Church Ravaged by Fire
June 29, 2020, FranceOn Monday, June 29th a fire which began behind the altar of the church of La Dominelais, south of Rennes, caused significant damage. Smoke and heat blackened the walls of the building, which had been renovated some twenty years ago.
Church Fire in Réaumont Investigated
June 29, 2020, FranceShortly before 7 p.m. on June 29th, the fire brigade was dispatched to a fire in the Réaumont church. The firefighters were able to contain the damage of the fire to the sacristy. The fire produced high volumes of smoke, which caused most of the damage in the sacristy. Fortunately the rest of the church remained intact and no sacred objects were damaged. The cause of the fire is under investigation by the gendarmerie.
Crystal Glass Pyramide Protecting the Statue of Antonfrancesco Farsetti Vandalized
June 28, 2020, ItalyOn June 28th the crystal glass pyramid, which is supposed to protect the statue Antonfrancesco Farsetti, founder of Ilsa della Donazella, was smashed by unknown vandals.
Repeated Acts of Vandalism and Theft in Bergamo Church
June 27, 2020, ItalyIn the week before June 27th, the church of Sant’Andrea in Bergamo was the victim of two crimes. The first incident was the vandalism of the liturgical chair which was discovered upside down in the middle of the church and wet with what the priest suspected was urine. The second incident was the theft of the offerings, accomplished by severely damaging the valuable offering boxes. This series of events led to the closure of the church except for Sunday Mass, until funds have been raised to install comprehensive security measures.
Robbers Cause €100 in Damage to Steal €5 from Sulzbach Church
June 26, 2020, GermanyPolice report that between June 26th and June 28th unknown perpetrators stole money from the offering box of the evangelical Church of Sulzbach. While the damage to the church property was estimated to be one hundred euros, the thieves fled with five euros.
Fire Devastated Catholic Parish Hall; Apartment
June 26, 2020, GermanyAAround 10:30 p.m. on June 26th, the Hemmingen fire brigade was called due to a report of smoke in an apartment. Upon arrival, they discovered that that the adjacent caretaker's apartment in the attic of the Catholic Church of St. George parish hall was on fire. The fire brigade had to put out the fire and prevent it from spreading to the church, which is just a few meters away. According to the Ludwigsburg police, the caretaker's apartment was completely burnt out and is now uninhabitable. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Disturbance in the Church of Oppau in Ludwigshafen Suspect Fled
June 23, 2020, GermanyOn June 23rd, the priest of the Catholic church in the Oppau district of Lugwigshafen heard a loud noise inside the church around 12:30 p.m. While investing the noise, he discovered a young man fleeing and found several objects in the church toppled over. The damage caused is estimated to be around 500 euros. The police are investigating.
Statue of Saint Junípero Serra Vandalized with "Racist"
June 22, 2020, SpainThe statue of the Mallorcan friar and saint Junípero Serra in Palma which stands in front of the central convent of Sant Francesc, was vandalized on June 22nd. The word 'racist' was smeared on the base of the monument, and the saint's image was also stained with red paint. The statue was attacked after the Podemos councilor in the Palma City Council, Sonia Vivas, mayor of Social Justice, Feminism and LGTBI, noted the statue of the eighteenth-century Franciscan friar had been attacked in California, USA. She suggested the statue of the saint should be thrown away "peacefully, "calling the saint a symbol of the "oligarchy".
‘Black Madonna’ in Breda defaced
June 22, 2020, NetherlandsOn June 22nd, vandals defaced the image of Our Lady of Częstochowa and painted the letters "BLM" at the base in a park chapel in Breda. The image of Our Lady, which is revered by Poles and also known as the 'Black Madonna', was erected in the park in 1954 in thanksgiving for the city’s liberation from the Nazis.
Unknown Perpetrators Destroyed Forest Chapel In Achel
June 22, 2020, BelgiumOn 22 June, vandals destroyed the small forest chapel at the Prinsenloop on the Witteberg in Achel. The facade was thrown out of the window and the statue of the Virgin Mary was completely destroyed and the debris was found near the chapel. Some tiles of the roof and a flowerpot were also smashed. The police are investigating.