All cases

Neuroscience Professor Investigated for Telling Students Men and Women are Biologically Different

September 17, 2018, Sweden

Germund Hesslow, a neurophysiology professor at Lund University, is under investigation for "anti-feminism" and "transphobia" for telling his students there are biological differences between men and women.

Arson in Bavarian Church

September 16, 2018, Germany

Early in the evening of September 16th, a witness noticed smoke coming from the St. Michael church in Heroldsbach and contacted the authorities. Police discovered burning scraps of paper and initial estimates amounted to at least 2,500 euros in damage. After a criminal investigation, officials concluded that the fire had been intentionally set and asked for assistance from any potential witnesses.

State Protection Office Investigates Graffiti on Parish Church

September 16, 2018, Germany

In September 2018, in the night before the festivities of St. Hildegard, the slogans “F*ck the Pope” and “Deutschland den Muslimen” (“Germany to the Muslims”) were sprayed on the Parish Church in Eibingen, a district of Rüdesheim. Police and the State Protection Office are now investigating and believe the perpetrators to be German citizens.

Fires Set in Kobern Church

September 16, 2018, Germany

The sacristan of St. Lubentius in Kobern discovered that several small fires had been intentionally set in the church. She observed that the altar cloth had been burned at the altar of the Virgin Mary, damaging both the cloth and the altar. A second altar and cloth, as well as the bible on the lectern, were similarly burned.

Perpetrator Confesses to Arson of Evangelical Church

September 15, 2018, Austria

A 58 year old man confessed to setting a fire that heavily damaged the Johanneskirche am Lendkanal on September 15th. The altar cross, a gift of British soldiers and of great sentimental value, was missing after the fire but later found near the church.

Pro-Life Charity Banned from Three UK Universities

September 14, 2018, United Kingdom

Student Unions in Manchester, Warwick, and Liverpool rejected the Life charity's application to appear at their Freshers' Fairs. The Warwick Students' Union rejected Life because its members "voted to adopt a pro-choice stance." Manchester said the Fair was an inappropriate platform, while Liverpool said the charity would not offer "impartial advice" to students. Life said its displays inform students that help is available if they get pregnant. The charity filed a complaint to the Office for Students (OfS) citing discrimination and restrictions on freedom of speech. It noted that the Chair of OfS had earlier promoted the protection of freedom of speech.

Unknown Vandals Damage Way of the Cross in Morbach

September 14, 2018, Germany

Unknown vandals damaged elements of a Way of the Cross leading to the Fatima Chapel in Bischofsdhron sometime between the 12th and 14th of September. They perpetrators pushed three of the thirteen sandstone crosses from their bases and tilted back into the adjacent embankment. The crosses themselves were unharmed, but the bases were heavily damaged. Repairs were estimated at €600. Police began an investigation.

Christian Sued Scouts after being Ousted over Islam Complaint; Settled Case

September 9, 2018, United Kingdom

A man from Bristol whose membership to the Scout Association was cancelled took legal action, claiming he has been discriminated against on account of his Christian faith.

Fire in the Church of Santa Maria della Roccella

September 9, 2018, Italy

Police began an arson investigation after a fire broke out in a basement of the cloister of the Church of Santa Maria della Roccella. The flames affected some unused materials and various forms of waste that had piled up in a basement of the cloister. The fire brigade intervened and found four LPG tanks near the fire which they removed and secured promptly. Fortunately there was no damage done to the building and no one was hurt.

Burglars Hit Church in Lörrach

September 9, 2018, Germany

Police investigated a break-in between September 9th and 10th at the Protestant Church in Lörrach. Unknown perpetrators tried to pry open several doors, finally accessed the church building through an unlocked door. Inside they broke into the sacristy and a storage room, pried open two doors on the upper floor and ransacked several rooms.

Door of Church Burned in Santa Maria di Licodia

September 7, 2018, Italy

During the night between the 6th and 7th of September, the door of the church of Madonna del Carmelo was set on fire. In the early morning hours residents became aware of the fire and extinguished it. The police investigated and found that the fire was started by lighting paper and plastic. The perpetrators damaged the base of the door and blackened the upper part. Fortunately, the flames did not spread into the inside of the church. The priest filed a complaint.

Parish Church in Gutau Vandalized

September 7, 2018, Austria

Unknown perpetrators vandalized the facade of the parish church in Gutau with red and black paint sometime between 6 pm and 10:45 pm on September 7th.

President of Czech Republic Sides with Communist Party on Taxation of Church Restitution

September 6, 2018, Czech Republic

The president of the Czech Republic, Milos Zeman, wavered from his neutral position and backed the communists and government coalition parties' plan to tax outstanding restitution payments to churches and religious communities whose property had been confiscated during the communist regime. In a TV interview he said is was "angry" to some extent because church institutions have continued to demand compensation and filed complaints against municipalities despite the decisions that were made in the 2013 restitution laws.

Chester Cathedral Damaged by Intruder

September 6, 2018, United Kingdom

A man was arrested after four stained-glass windows were smashed and other property was damaged at Chester Cathedral. The incident occurred just after midnight on September 4th and money was stolen from the premises. The damage caused to the cathedral is likely to exceed £10,000. The Cathedral's acting dean said the damage to the four stained-glass windows which date back to 1920 was very upsetting, in particular, the damage caused to a window depicting St. Werburgh, the Patron Saint of Chester.

Police say 'Disgusting Attack' on Manchester Cathedral was Hate Crime

September 6, 2018, United Kingdom

Officers are treating the spraying of abusive graffiti onto the wall of the landmark late on September 6th as a "religiously aggravated attack." The language used was "too offensive to be published," according to media sources.

Anarchist Graffiti on Monument to the Virgen del Rocío

September 5, 2018, Spain

Sometime in the early morning hours of September 5th, vandals sprayed the anarchist "A" on the well-known monument. After city workers were unable to remove the paint using water, the monument's sculptor himself, Elías Rodríguez Picón, arrived to remove the paint. Local residents and officials expressed their outrage over the incident. Police began an investigation and reviewed security camera footage to identify the perpetrators of vandalism.

Chapel Vandalized in Péré

September 3, 2018, France

Parish announcements and a lectionary were burned in the small chapel Saint-Jean in the district of Péré, the lower town of Saint-Sever. Additionally, the monstrance was broken and a cross was thrown into a confessional. The vandalism occurred on the same day as the school fire of Toulouzette Park school in Saint-Sever. Police investigated a connection between the two incidents.

Senior Scottish Judge Criticized Asylum Tribunals for Disregarding Evidence of Christian Conversion

September 3, 2018, United Kingdom

An appellate court ordered a rehearing by immigration tribunals after Judge Lord Glennie, one of the appeal judges, found that the asylum judges had disregarded churchgoer's evidence of the Christian conversion of two Iranian asylum seekers who have been attending Tron Church in Glasgow and had been predisposed to rejecting their claims.

Criminal behaviour at two churches in Greiz

September 3, 2018, Germany

A 35-year-old tried to pry open the door of the Herz-Jesu-Kirche in Greiz at 22.35 Monday evening. A witness filmed him while doing it. The perpetrator fled the scene but the police was able to track him down and find him at home. He has been charged with attempted burglary. The same evening, at 17.30, several windows were damaged at the church in the Friedhofstraße in Greiz and there was an attempt to set fire to the wooden door. The police has started an investigation.

Catholic Bookstore Vandalized by Anarchists

September 3, 2018, France

The Notre-Dame-de-France Catholic bookstore was vandalized during the night from the 2nd to 3rd of September. The perpetrators sprayed the word "FACHOS" ("fascists"), an anarchist A symbol, a communist symbol, and other words onto the windows and facade of the bookstore.