All cases
Church in Wijchen targeted with theft, arson and vandalism
September 15, 2024, NetherlandsOn 15 September, two statues of Mary were badly damaged and personal belongings and devotional objects were set on fire in the St Anthony Abbot Church in Wijchen, Gelderland, both in the Marian Chapel and in the nearby Lourdes Grotto.
Fire at Parish of Migliarina
September 14, 2024, ItalyOn 14 September, the oratory of Migliarina church in Viareggio caught fire. The police suspect arson. The interior of the building was completely destroyed. According to the parish priest, young boys were in the oratory when the fire broke out and had to be evacuated by the fire brigade.
Church in Mill vandalised with fire
September 13, 2024, NetherlandsOn 13 September, unknown persons entered the Willibrordus church in Mill, the Netherlands, and set fire to the candle stand by putting paper on the candles, causing a thick layer of candle wax on the floor and leaving the church covered in soot particles.
San Fernando Cemetery Vandalised
September 10, 2024, SpainOn 10 September, the San Fernando cemetery in Seville was the scene of vandalism. More than 60 graves were damaged during the night, with crosses and gravestones overturned and even some coffins damaged. Nothing was stolen.
Vandals destroy church altar
September 9, 2024, GermanyOn September 9, the altar of St Mary in the Catholic parish of St. Peter and Paul in Grevenbroich, Germany, was overturned and smashed to pieces. The front part of the church remains closed due to the severe damage caused by the vandalism.
Burglars wreak havoc in church in Skara
September 8, 2024, SwedenOver the weekend of 7-8 September, unknown assailants broke into the Skånings-Åsaka church in Skara. They smashed the doors, windows and safe. The church's pastor says: "It's a real mess". The whole sacristy was turned upside down.
Man insults faithful during mass
September 8, 2024, PolandOn Sunday September 8, a 40-year-old man entered the church in Tarnobrzeg during mass on a bicycle. According to witnesses, he rode several laps in front of the altar while shouting vulgarities in English and making offensive gestures.
Muslim Politician uses Christian images for shooting exercise
September 7, 2024, SwitzerlandThe Zurich municipal councillor and Bosnian Muslim, Sanija Ameti, published photos of herself using a reproduction of a an image of Mary and Jesus as target practice at a shooting exercise on Instagram on September 7. The pierced heads of Mary and the baby Jesus could be seen on the picture.
Arson Attempt: Marian chapel in Gennep targeted for the third time
September 7, 2024, NetherlandsOn September 7, the Mariakapel at the Touwslagersgroes in Gennep, North Limburg, was the target of vandals for the third time in a short period of time.
Man throws knife at woman and vandalises Sacré-Cœur church in Nice
September 6, 2024, FranceThe police arrested a man for defacing the Sacré-Cœur church in Nice on September 6. He smashed several statues and threw a knife at a woman.
Shrine in Otwock vandalised
September 3, 2024, PolandOn September 3, unknown vandals destroyed the shrine of "Our Lady of the Immaculate". The shrine was renovated 3 years ago by local people.
Arson Attack on the Immaculate Conception Church in Saint-Omer
September 1, 2024, FranceOn the night of 1 September, a 39-year-old man set fire to the sacristy of the Church of the Immaculate Conception in Saint-Omer. The flames then spread to the naves and then to the whole church. The bell tower and the roof were completely destroyed.
Arson Attack on Church of England in Greenisland
September 1, 2024, United KingdomA large fire broke out on Sunday, 1 September at the Parish Church of the Holy Name in Greenisland, Northern Ireland. Police are treating the fire as arson. To local parish community is shocked by the incident.
Fire set to church in Mazara
September 1, 2024, ItalyIn the night between September 1 and 2, unknown persons set the fire to the side door of the "Church of the Miracle" which is located in Via Casa Santa, in Mazara. The attack is a worrying sign of the continuation of criminal acts in the town.
Muslim woman enters church and threatens pastor: 'I am here to kill the God of the Jews'
September 1, 2024, United KingdomOn September 1, a Muslim woman entered the evangelical Angel Church in Islington, London, screaming 'Allahu Akbar' and that she was 'here to kill the God of the Jews’. She became more aggressive after she was asked to leave the building.
Severe damage caused in church theft
August 30, 2024, ItalyOn Friday 30 August, unknown persons broke into the sacristy by smashing the glass of one of the two entrance doors to the church in Mercatale di Vernio, Italy. Four chalices and three pyxes worth over 3000 euros were stolen.
Two church arson attacks in St Johnston
August 28, 2024, IrelandA 27-year-old man has been charged with a series of alleged arson attacks in St Johnston on 28 August. He is accused of attempting to set fire to three religious buildings, namely the Irish Catholic St Baithins Church, the Protestant Orange Hall and a local Masonic Hall.
Arsonists Set Pilgrimage Church Altar on Fire
August 25, 2024, GermanyIn the night of August 24 to 25, unknown perpetrators tried to set fire to a pilgrim church in Dorschhausen, Bad Wörishofen. They also tried to set fire to the tablecloth on the altar, causing severe damage of several thousand euros.
Ukraine bans Ukrainian Orthodox Church
August 24, 2024, UkraineUkrainian lawmakers have approved a bill banning the Russian Orthodox Church. The text targets the Ukrainian Orthodox Church (UOC) of the Moscow Patriarchate and has raised concerns about the safeguarding of religious freedom in Ukraine. The law requires the UOC to cut all ties with the Russian Orthodox Church or face a process that would lead to its dissolution.
Desecration of Greek Orthodox Cemetery
August 24, 2024, TurkeyOn August 24, staff at the Agios Eleftherios cemetery in Istanbul found that the barbed wire fence around the cemetery had been cut, gravestones desecrated, holes dug and the cemetery's guard dogs sedated.
IS claims Knife-Stabbing in Solingen was an Attack Against Christians
August 23, 2024, GermanyOn 23 August 2024, a 26-year-old Syrian man attacked several people at a city festival in Solingen. IS claimed authorship of the attack and announced via Amaq (IS news agency) that it was "directed against Christians." The attack left three people dead and eight wounded.
Serina cemetery: Church and chapels vandalised
August 22, 2024, ItalyDuring the night of 21-22 August, unknown perpetrators ransacked the church of the Sirena cemetery and vandalised up to 5 private chapels on the cemetery of Serina, Bergamo. Pews, religious objects, flower pots, candles and glass were strewn about and partly destroyed.
Vandalism Leaves Church in Bra Devastated
August 20, 2024, ItalySerious damage inside the Church of the Assumption in Bra on August 20 has caused deep concern. Unknown persons broke into the building and destroyed the furnishings and furniture. The altarpiece depicting the Assumption of the Mary was damaged with numerous holes, the face of the statue of Mary was smeared with black paint, crucifixes were broken and damaged, the curtain of the canopy over the altar was torn, and the marble and tiles were removed from the floor under the miniature of the Lourdes grotto.
Payout for Christian woman who was fined for silent prayer, but government planing new restrictions
August 19, 2024, United KingdomA Christian charity volunteer has received a £13,000 payout and an apology from police after claiming her arrest for silently praying outside an abortion clinic was unjust and violated her human rights. While many see this as a victory for religious freedom, the new UK government is planning to introduce national legislation banning prayer outside abortion clinics.
Vandals wreak havoc in Montecilfone church
August 17, 2024, ItalyOn the night from August 16 to 17, unknown persons destroyed a statue of Mary and other sacred objects in a chapel of a retirement home in Montecilfone.
Stone cross destroyed by vandals on Christian Feast Day
August 15, 2024, FranceOn the night of 15 August (the Catholic Feast Day of the Assumption Mary), vandals destroyed an important stone cross in Tréport, France. The stone cross is more than 400 years old and was declared a historical monument in 1913.
Parishioners Shocked after Vandals Smash Statue
August 7, 2024, United KingdomA statue of Mary outside St Joseph Church in Wembley in the Diocese of Westminster, was smashed into pieces in the night of August 7, leaving behind the empty plinth. The parishioners are shocked. Police presence around the church will be reinforced.
Repeated Cross Vandalism: Figure of Jesus Cut into Pieces
August 5, 2024, PolandOn August 5, a cross in the fields of the Polish village Kościuki was vandalised again, following two previous incidents. This time, the vandals also cut up the figure of Jesus, which was attached to the cross, and threw the pieces in the bushes. The local community is shocked about the anti-religious hatred displayed by the act.
Theft of consecrated hosts in Porto Recanati
August 5, 2024, ItalyOn the evening of August 5, unknown persons entered the church of the Most Precious Blood in Porto Recanati and, after forcing the tabernacle, took the hosts that had already been consecrated and were kept inside. During their escape, the thieves abandoned a chalice on the street. The parish priest alerted the police. Nothing else was stolen from the church.
Christian Activists unlawfully arrested in Paris
August 5, 2024, FranceOn August 5, Parisian police arrested six Christians who were on a bus labelled with “Stop attacks on Christians” driving around Paris to bring attention to the Last Supper parody at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony and its anti-Christian message.
French Church vandalised: Tabernacle set on fire
August 4, 2024, FranceIn the church of Saint-Pierre in Lège-Cap-Ferret, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, the tabernacle was set on fire during the night of August 4. Furthermore, religious materials were smashed on the ground. The church will remain closed during the restoration. The police have started an investigation.
Concerns over Application of French "Abuse of Weakness" Law
August 1, 2024, FranceThe trial for “abuse of weakness” of the Catholic Missionary Family of Notre-Dame (FMND) raises concerns about the application of the recently amended French “anti-cult” law. At the trail, the experts solicited by the investigators presented some of basic principles of religious communities, such as the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, or silence and parts of the Catholic catechism, as “means of submission”.
Elderly woman attacked and robbed while praying in church
August 1, 2024, GermanyOn August 1, a 40-year-old man violently pushed an elderly woman who was praying in St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church to the ground, kicked her and took her bag. As a result of the attack, the woman suffered a laceration to her head and was taken to hospital where she was stitched up.
Mayor Break-In Causes Severe Damage to Church
July 31, 2024, PolandOn July 31, three men broke into a church in Szydłów and caused €700 worth of damage.
Religious statue beheaded inside Scalini church
July 31, 2024, ItalyOn July 31, vandals partially forced open the front and outer doors of the sacristy of the church of Scalini, a hamlet of Arsiero, destroyed a plaster statue of St. Anthony holding the Infant Jesus, decapitated both figures, threw furniture on the ground, attempted break into the donation box, broke a stained glass window in the apse, and tore down a microphone.
NI Court Prosecutes Man and Woman for Praying in Coleraine "Buffer Zone"
July 30, 2024, United KingdomIn Northern Ireland, a court is set to rule on the case of a woman and a man who were arrested for praying inside an abortion "buffer zone" in October 2023. If found guilty in the current hearing, the woman who pleaded not guilty faces up to six months in prison. The police arrested them without any prior complaints about their presence on the street.
Theft and vandalism in Sant'Antonio Abate
July 30, 2024, ItalyOn the night of July 30, four young people broke into the Sant'Antonio Abate Church in Incisa Scapaccino, Asti. They broke into the entrance door, destroyed the cribs and sacred furniture, smeared the walls with spray cans and damaged the sound system for the services.
Vandals cut off hands and destroy face of statue
July 28, 2024, PolandOn the night of 27-28 July, vandals severely damaged a statue of Mary located at the entrance to the village of Kościuk. The statue's hands were cut off, a hole was punched in its head, its eyes were gouged out and its face destroyed. This was not the first act of vandalism against a religious object in the region.
UPDATE: Christian teacher loses High Court appeal after being banned for ‘misgendering’
July 25, 2024, United KingdomJoshua Sutcliffe, a Christian maths teacher, lost his High Court appeal case after being banned from teaching for "misgendering" a pupil. The judge said that “just because misgendering a transgender pupil might not be unlawful does not mean that it is appropriate conduct for a teacher.”
New Survey finds Christians in Scotland under pressure
July 23, 2024, United KingdomAccording to an opinion poll by the think tank “Logos” published in The Herald on July 23, Christians in Scotland feel “excluded”. More than 70% feel the Scottish Government does not support them and 75% were concerned about abuse against Christian politicians.
Church of Saint-Paul in Orne defaced with satanic graffiti
July 21, 2024, FranceIn the night of Saturday, July 20 to Sunday, July 21, vandals defaced the façade of the church of Saint-Paul in Orne, France, with satanist graffiti. The tags included inverted crosses, pentagrams, and writings such as ‘False God’, ‘Liar’, and the number ‘666’, symbolising the devil. The statues on the façade were also sprayed with red paint, adding to the seriousness of the damage.
Woman threatens priest with a cutter during mass
July 21, 2024, SpainOn Sunday, July 21, a 46-year-old woman was arrested in Tudela, Navarra, after threatening the priest who was officiating the Sunday mass and the congregation with a cutter. According to the Municipal Police of Tudela, the woman not only threatened with the cutter, but also broke the glass of the entrance door of the church by throwing a stone. This act of vandalism increased the level of alarm among those present, who quickly called the authorities.
Daughter Taken Away After Parents Object to Puberty Blockers
July 15, 2024, SwitzerlandA Swiss couple is taking legal action after their 16-year-old daughter was taken away from the parents and put into a government shelter due to the parents' objection to the daughter's "gender transitioning". The parents also said that doctors have been trying to administer puberty blockers to their daughter without their consent. The case has sent shockwaves around the world and raises severe concerns over the protection of parental rights, including for Christians objecting to the transitioning of their children.
Islamic tags and vandalism in Parisian Notre-Dame-du-Travail Church
July 15, 2024, FranceBetween Sunday, July 14 and Monday, July 15, vandals broke into the Parisian Notre-Dame-du-Travail Church, vandalised the building and left a number of Islamic anti-Christian graffiti, like "Submit yourselves to Allah infidels" and a knife planted in the throat of a statue of Mary.
Thieves behead Statue of Jesus and Steal Money from Shrine
July 13, 2024, ItalyOn Saturday, July 13, unknown perpetrators broke into the sanctuary of the Madonna della Grotta, stole over 500 euro and beheaded the statue of the infant Jesus.
Repeated Arson Attack on St. Benedikt church in Eisenharz
July 13, 2024, GermanyOn July 13, fire was set to the church of St. Benedikt in the Allgäu community of Argenbühl-Eisenharz (Ravensburg district). This is already the second arson attack on the church this year. When the fire brigade arrived three pews were burning brightly, but the fire brigade was able to extinguish the fire quickly. However, according to initial estimates by the Catholic parish, severe damage was caused. The church is completely covered in soot.
Young Christians attacked on Lake Constance while preaching
July 12, 2024, GermanyOn Wednesday afternoon, July 12, a group of young Christians aged between 16 and 23 were attacked on Lake Constance while they were reading bible verses over a megaphone on a rental boat.
Man drives a truck into Austrian free church
July 8, 2024, AustriaOn Monday evening, July 8, a man drove a truck into the Pentecostal Elim Church in Brunn am Gebirge, Austria. According to the police, this was a deliberate attack. The man confessed that he had acted out of anger, the perpetrator, however, is not known to the church.
"Death to Jews and Christians" graffiti in Croissy-sur-Seine
July 3, 2024, FranceOn July 3 at around 11 am, the police discovered anti-police, anti-Semitic and anti-Christian tags in Croissy-sur-Seine (Yvelines, west of Paris). The writings were found on the wall of the Canotiers' underground car park. According to the news, the following slogans are written in metre-high letters: "ACAB", "FLIC = TUEUR", "FREE PALESTINE", and "À MORT LES JUIFS ET LES CHRÉTIENS", inciting to killing police, Jews and Christians.
Profanation of a statue of Mary in Żary
June 30, 2024, PolandOn the night of June 29 to June 30, an unknown perpetrator damaged both hands of a statue of the Mary, which is located on Zielona Góra Street in Żary. The police are investigating the incident.