All cases
Theft from Talmont Church
February 3, 2019, FranceThe tabernacle was broken and the ciborium containing consecrated hosts was stolen from the church of Saint-Pierre de Talmont (Vendée) on February 3rd.
Consecrated Hosts Thrown inside Tabernacle; Ciborium Stolen
February 3, 2019, FranceBefore Sunday Mass on February 3rd, it was discovered that someone had broken into the tabernacle in the chapel of Sainte-Anne in Notre-Dame-et-Saint Junien Church in Lusignan, scattered the hosts, and stolen the ciborium where the hosts were stored. The police were called and began an investigation.
Churches in the Vendée Repeated Targets of Vandalism
February 3, 2019, FranceOver the course of several months, statues have been pushed to the ground and broken into a thousand pieces, stones have been thrown at the stained glass windows, and the stoups and Christmas crèches have been damaged in two churches, Saint-Gilles and Sainte-Croix, in the parish of Saint-Gilles-Croix-de-Vie in the Vendée. Similar damage has occurred in the neighboring town of Saint-Hilaire-de-Riez.
Church Vandalized in Kaiserslautern
February 2, 2019, GermanyThe church "Am Heiligenhäuschen" was smeared with paint by unknown vandals late in the evening of February 2nd. Police are investigating.
Catholic School Vandalized with Graffiti
January 31, 2019, SpainThe exterior wall of the colegio de la Trinidad in Vistalegre was painted with vulgar anti-church graffiti. This school, whose interior houses a chapel, belongs to the Diocesan Teaching Foundation of Santos Mártires de Córdoba.
Thieves Stole Ciborium and Hosts from the Church of Madeleine
January 31, 2019, FranceThieves broke into the Church of Madeleine in Vendôme and stole a wooden tabernacle containing a ciborium and consecrated hosts.
Religiously-Motivated Murder of Christian Iraqi in Salzgitter
January 27, 2019, GermanyA 33-year-old Syrian man was arrested for the murder of his sister's lover, a 25-year-old Christian Iraqi. The prosecutor said the background of the crime may have been that the victim and accused belong to different religions and probable motive was that the accused, a Muslim, did not approve of his sister living with an "infidel."
Fifteen UK Churches Received Threatening Letters
January 22, 2019, United KingdomWest Midlands police investigated handwritten letters threatening petrol bomb attacks and mass stabbings sent to fifteen churches in the UK from November to January.
Calvary Vandalized in Normandy
January 21, 2019, FranceA public crucifix monument was vandalized with graffiti during the night of January 20-21 in Caen. Symbols included the anarchist "A," slogans in favor of PMA (assisted reproduction) legislation, "Jesus is trans," and a reference to an attack against a Christian pilgrimage tour bus two days earlier in Caen. Also present were stickers of the local libertarian communist union.
Diocesan House of Grenoble Hit with Graffiti; Windows and Doors Damaged
January 19, 2019, FranceOn the 14th of January, the Diocesan House of Grenoble hosted a pro-life event which drew a few hundred protesters. Between the 14th and 19th of January, graffiti was sprayed on the outer walls of the house and then between January 19th and 21st, its glass windows and doors were smashed.
Church Vandalized with Graffiti
January 18, 2019, GermanySometime between the 17th and 18th of January, the back wall of the Stephanuskirche was sprayed with graffiti by unknown persons.
St Simeonis Vandalized for Second Time in Two Months
January 17, 2019, GermanyA window in the back of the Evangelical church of St. Simeon in Minden was smashed during the night of January 17th by unknown perpetrators.
Greek Orthodox Church Vandalized in Esslingen
January 17, 2019, GermanyAn unidentified perpetrator attacked the Greek Orthodox Church, damaging several windows and a glass ornament above the front door. Police opened an investigation
UPDATE: St. Jacques Church in Grenoble Destroyed by Intentional Fire
January 16, 2019, FranceThe church, whose frame was made of wood, was completely destroyed in a fire during the night of January 16th to 17th. When the firefighters arrived on site at 2:30 am, the church was already totally engulfed, and they could only prevent the flames from spreading to neighboring buildings. A hundred people had to be evacuated. The initial investigation indicated that the fire had started with a short circuit in the electrical system, however, an anarcho-libertarian blog post claimed responsibility. On October 7th, prosecutors said accelerants were found in the rubble and the fire would be treated as arson.
Private Catholic School Sprayed with Graffiti
January 16, 2019, SpainThe exterior wall of the colegio de Santa Victoria of the Madres Escolapias, a private Catholic school, was spray painted with phrases such as "Death to Fascism," "School is Jail," as well as an 'anarcho-feminist' symbol.
Attempted Robbery and Fire in Two Bas-Rhin Churches
January 14, 2019, FranceDuring the afternoon of January 14th, police were called to the church of Saint-Georges after the priest discovered that unknown individuals had tried to break into the donation trunks and attempted to force open the door to the sacristy where objects of worship are stored. An hour later, police and firefighters were called to a fire at the Sainte-Foy church nearby. Police later arrested a man in his late-forties with a lengthy criminal record for setting the Sainte-Foy fire. He was then hospitalized for a psychiatric evaluation.
Arson Attempt at Russian Orthodox Church
January 13, 2019, GermanySometime between January 11th and 12th, an attempt was made to set fire to a wooden wall in the entrance area of the Russian Orthodox Church (Russisch-Orthodoxen Gemeinde des Hl. Gross Martyrers Dimitrios von Thesaloniki) in Schwerin with a candle and oily liquid accelerant. Investigators found a small charred area on the wall of the wooden church because the liquid did not ignite.
UK Court agrees to hear Challenge to Ban on Pro-Life Prayer Outside Abortion Center
January 11, 2019, United KingdomA British court has ruled that a pro-life activist may challenge a legal decision banning prayer and support for women in crisis pregnancies outside a Marie Stopes clinic.
Molotov Cocktail Thrown at Church
January 10, 2019, Italy"The true martyrs are in the sea" was painted on the wall of the church of San Rocco in Rovereto as the signature of the vandals who threw an incendiary device at the church, setting fire to the door. The attack appears to have been in response to a controversial nativity scene set up to "raise awareness of the tragedy of abortion which condemns children to a real martyrdom."
Christian Man Can't Use "Christ" or "Jesus" on License Plate
January 10, 2019, SwedenThe Swedish Transport Agency rejected blocked a Christian man’s request to use the word "Kristus" (Swedish for “Christ”) on his license plate, claiming the move could “cause offense” to those opposed to Christianity. When he asked to use the name “Jesus” instead, he was informed that word was blocked, too.