All cases
Christmas Decorations and Crèche Thrown in River
December 17, 2016, FranceDuring the night of December 17-18th, all of the Christmas decorations installed on a bridge, as well as the handmade wooden crèche arranged at the feet of a statue of the Virgin Mary were thrown into the Seine in Fouchères. A complaint was filed with police.
Spanish Court Acquits City Councilor of Infringing on Freedom of Conscience and Religious Convictions
December 16, 2016, SpainRita Maestre had been fined for removing her top inside a chapel during a protest against the "antidemocratic and chauvinistic" positions of the Catholic Church in 2011. On appeal, that decision was reversed as the court found that "inadequate clothing or certain inappropriate gestures" were "disrespectful but not desecration."
Priest Attacked, Tied Up, and Robbed in Pastoral Center
December 16, 2016, FranceRutumbu Juvenal, the priest in charge of the parish of Palaiseau, was attacked by two armed men on December 16, 2016 at the church's pastoral center.
Bomb Discovered in Front of Church
December 15, 2016, FranceA parishioner discovered a bomb in a cardboard box against the door of the Saint-André church. Police in Toulouse are investigating and said that the device was capable of a small explosion.
Thieves Hit Caorle Cathedral in 3rd Incident in Veneto Region in 10 Days
December 15, 2016, ItalyGlass cases protecting sacred statues and images were smashed and the decorative jewels and offerings of the faithful were stolen. Police are investigating the links between this incident and others in the region targeting shrines containing sacred images.
Five Churches Burgled in Three Weeks
December 13, 2016, FranceAccording to the Bishop of Réunion, five churches have been the target of thieves in the preceding three weeks. The most recent was the church of Sainte-Marie, which was ransacked and money and equipment were stolen. A criminal investigation is underway.
Thieves Steal Gold from Sacred Statue of Our Lady of Pilastrello
December 11, 2016, ItalyAfter several failed attempts since June 2016, thieves managed to sneak into the guarded shrine in Lendinara, smashed a protective glass case, and stole all of the gold on the statue of the "Black Madonna."
Dozens of Christian Statues Destroyed
December 8, 2016, GermanyPolice in the Münsterland region are investigating the destruction of Christian statues of holy figures since the end of October. One report said "not a day goes by without an attack on a statue. The local Christian community is concerned and upset by the destruction. An anti-religious motive is suspected and the police believe the vandalism is fueled by a "lust for destruction". Estimates suggest the cost of the damage to be a six-figure sum.
Nativity Crib Burned in Church
December 8, 2016, FranceParishioners praying in the chapel adjacent to the Church of Notre-Dame in Metz smelled smoke and discovered the crib burning inside the church. Police have launched a criminal investigation.
Hindu UKIP Member Racially Harassed for Calling Britain a "Christian Country"
December 7, 2016, United KingdomAnish Patel, a UKIP member and practising Hindu took to Twitter with a message defending Britain’s Christian identity. In response, Twitter users responded with racist epithets.
Church Requests Security Staff Due to Disruptions, Vandalism
December 7, 2016, SwedenThe Holy Trinity Church in Kristianstad has been given permission by police to have security guards at church services due to repeated thefts, disruptive and threatening behavior during services, drug and alcohol use in the church, and urination and defecation in the pews.
Student Union Bans Pro-Life Group
December 5, 2016, United KingdomPro-life supporters have been banned from setting up an official campus group by the University of Strathclyde Student Union on the grounds that such a group would violate "safe space."
Equalities Watchdog Calls for Review of Catholic Schools Hiring Rules
December 5, 2016, United KingdomThe Equality and Human Rights Commission has told the Scottish government that the Scottish Catholic schools’ legal right to examine teaching staff for religious suitability should be reviewed.
Christian Archbishops from Iraq and Syria Denied Visas to UK
December 4, 2016, United KingdomDespite a formal invitation from Prince Charles to attend a consecration ceremony of Britain's first Syriac Orthodox Cathedral, the Home Office denied the visa applications of Archbishops Nicodemus Daoud Sharaf of Mosul, Timothius Mousa Shamani of St Matthew's in Nineveh valley of northern Iraq, and Selwanos Boutros Alnemeh of Homs and Hama in Syria because they "did not have enough money to support themselves and might not leave the UK."
Court Gives Town Three Months to Remove Statue of Virgin Mary
December 3, 2016, FranceA court has ordered the town of Publier to remove its statue of the Virgin Mary to comply with France's ban on religious symbols in public spaces. Failure to remove it within three months will result in a fine of 100 euros per day.
Leftist Graffiti on Bordeaux Catholic Seminary
December 3, 2016, France"Neither God nor master", "I love Satan", "Lesbi Power" and "Antifa" and other slogans were sprayed on the walls of the seminary during the night of December 3, 2016.
Nantes Church Vandalized with Anarchist Graffiti
December 3, 2016, FranceThe Church of St. Clement in Nantes was vandalized with the anarchist "A" topped with symbols of both sexes. This sign is supposed to convey the opposition to the male and female genders in their traditional definitions.
Thieves Steal Votive Offerings in Treviso Church
December 3, 2016, ItalyUnknown perpetrators broke into the Basilica of Motta di Livenza during the night of December 3, 2016, disconnected an alarm, sawed off iron bars, broke a window, and stole votive offerings donated in the past by the faithful of the diocese. They were unable to force open the shrine with the statue of the Madonna. Police are investigating.
Madrid Parish Vandalized
December 1, 2016, Spain"You will burn in Hell" (“Arderéis en el infierno”) was sprayed on the parish of Nuestra Señora Reina del Cielo in Madrid by unknown perpetrators.
Graffiti Damaged Granada Cathedral
November 25, 2016, SpainThe Archbishop of Granada filed a complaint after graffiti was painted on the facade of the Metropolitan Curia and the Cathedral, one of the most important cultural sites of the city. The vandalism occurred during the night from the 24 to 25 of November and damaged the original stone of the Cathedral.