All cases

Explosives Thrown at Church Door in Italy

November 14, 2013, Italy

The newly renovated Church of San Donato (LU) was damaged when a lady threw Molotov cocktails against the door of the church. The village had just raised 40,000 Euro to have the church renovated.

Figurine Shows Madonna Defecating

November 14, 2013, Spain

The Spanish company Caganer developed a caganer figurine (a “crapper”, see below) in the image of the Virgin of Montserrat. The Tarraconense Episcopal Conference expressed their “deep regret” that an image of such a beloved religious symbol should be portrayed in such a way. As well, Fr. Ignasi Fossas, prior of Montserrat, declares that such a representation of the Virgin Mary is in bad taste.

Cross on News Presenter's Neck Forbidden on Offending Islam Claims

November 12, 2013, Norway

Siv Kristin Sællmann, one of the best-known news presenters of the Norwegian television was forbidden to wear a small cross around her neck on air in order not to insult Islam.

Video of Sexual Act with Cross Hurts Feelings of Believers

November 8, 2013, Poland

An exhibition in the Museum of Contemporary Art in Warsaw displayed a video "Veneration of Christ" in which the artist rubs himself in a blasphemous way against a crucifix, imitating a sexual relationship. The exhibition was showing from September to November 2013. The artist Jacek Markiewicz claims that it was not his wish to vilify any religious feelings. By his own statements he is a non-believer. Cardinal Kazimierz Nycz of Warsaw calls the video a "desecration of the Cross" that exceeds the boundaries of artistic expression and basic ethical standards".

Church Vandalised Causing Considerable Material Damage

November 7, 2013, Germany

St. Peter’s Church in Waltrop, Germany was broken into. The door to the sacristy was broken and the interior ransacked. The Police and Crime investigators were at the scene and a report was made.

Vandalism at St. Peter’s Church in Waltrop

November 6, 2013, Germany

Considerable damage was caused to St. Peter's Church in Waltrop. The vestry door was broken and the interior devastated. Police are investigating

Push to Eliminate the Christian Element of the Saint Martin Tradition in Nordrhein-Westfalen and Hessen

November 5, 2013, Germany

The Chairman of the Left-wing party in the Nordrhein-Westfalen region, Rüdiger Sagel, suggested to rename the celebration and remove the religious overtones in the local day-care centres. “In many Nordrhein-Westfalen day-care centres there are an increasing number of children from different religions.” ... „”the day-care should be an interdenominational space,” says Sagel, and claims that the day-cares are influencing the children regarding their religion. After a storm of protests, the Left-wing party withdrew the suggestion.

Church Covered in Graffiti in Brescia

November 4, 2013, Italy

During a night raid the walls of the Church of Santa Maria Calchera in Brescia were covered with inscriptions in red paint. The whole length of the façade was covered.

Vandalism and Desecration at Church of Carmine in Ascoli

October 28, 2013, Italy

Vandals entered the Church of the Carmine in Ascoli using scaffolding positioned for restructuring. They removed some crucifixes, holy objects and candles. The walls and furniture were also covered in paint and at the end they tried to celebrate a black mass.

Graffiti on Church of Casorate Sempione

October 26, 2013, Italy

The outside walls of the church and churchyard were spray painted with white paint and with a number of sentences. One of these read: "most priests dead" (“più preti morti”). About a month before this happened, a symbol of "A" for anarchy was painted on the walls of the Caritas centre, and there have been acts of vandalism in the same church in the past.

Christian Parents Convicted for Home-schooling, Appeal Rejected

October 24, 2013, Germany

On May 22nd the district court sentenced the parents of nine to pay a fine of 700 Euro each for their violation of the compulsory school attendance for all children in Germany. The public prosecution department demanded six months in prison for the married couple due to their repeated offense. An appeal was rejected in October.

Andalusia Discriminates against Teachers of Religion

October 22, 2013, Spain

In Andalusia, the Board of Education prohibits teachers of religion to watch students at recess. This is expressly due to the subject matter that they teach and not for economic reasons. The Centre for Religious Liberty and Conscience (OLRC), has asked the Ministry of Education to apologize for this discrimination and to allow teachers of religion to “practice their profession on equal footing with other teachers.”

Posters in Tarragona Mock Christians in Reaction to the Beatification of 522 Twentieth Century Christian Martyrs

October 17, 2013, Spain

Posters on the streets of Tarragona depicted a lion chasing a priest with the inscription, “An ancient tradition. Blessed be the lions.” This in response to the beatification (the bestowing of the title of “Blessed” by the Catholic Church) of 522 Christian martyrs who were killed in the Twentieth century.

Profanities Shouted at a Parish Commemoration Presided Over by the Archbishop

October 16, 2013, Spain

During a commemoration by the Archbishop of the fiftieth anniversary of a parish in Madrid, 20 people gathered outside and shouted profanities. Two people were arrested after they got past the police barrier. They were released the next day.

Vandalism in Church in Galazzano, San Marino

October 15, 2013, San Marino

Vandals broke a crucifix in a church in Galazzano in San Marino. The church had never experienced vandalism before.

Statue of Our Lady Destroyed in Bordeaux

October 13, 2013, France

In the night to October 13, a statue of our lady was destroyed in Bordeaux. The statue had been attached about three meters high on a corner of an apartment building at Rue Neuve. The head of the statue could not be found which indicates a hate motivated act.

St. Eulalia, Patroness of Madrid, Secularized

October 10, 2013, Spain

An initiative driven by Ignasi Ventura Diaz hopes to reinstate the cross symbol on images of St. Eulalia, patroness of Madrid. Currently, public images of the saint contain a young girl on an eagle instead of the traditional cross upon which the saint was crucified at the age of thirteen. Groups such as e-Christians wish for the City Council to acknowledge the Christian roots of St. Eulalia, currently called “La Laia”, a nickname which also hides the Christian roots of the city’s patroness.

Discrimination Against Religion Teachers on the Canary Islands

October 10, 2013, Spain

Religion teachers on the Canary Islands are discriminated against, as they are not allowed to participate in extra activities, such as becoming a cycling coordinator or head teacher. This matter has been brought to court and is still pending. In the meantime, centers may choose according to their individual needs whether or not religion teachers may occupy such positions, but there is still discrimination occurring in some schools since such a decision is arbitrary and depends on the judgment of the inspectors.

Bomb Planted in Catholic Church in Zaragoza

October 3, 2013, Spain

A bomb was set inside the Catholic “Basílica del Pilar” in Zaragoza. It exploded close to the organ and benches. The church and the market square in front of the basilica had to be cleared by the police. Local sources suspect an extreme left-wing group behind the bomb attack. These claims are supported by the fact that the words “This is our offering“ and a veiled figure holding a bomb were spray painted on a wall nearby the basilica. This bomb was the first attack on the basilica of Zaragoza since the Spanish Civil War.

Violent Language Used by Feminists and Other Left-Wing Organisations

September 27, 2013, Spain

During a pro-choice rally, the coordinator of “Valladolid Women”, a feminist organization, shouted violence inciting words such as “We must burn the Episcopal Conference” outside of a lecture hall in which the Spanish Christian Lawyers Association AEAC was giving a lecture on the persecution of Christians. The Christian Lawyers Association has filed a complaint under the heading of incitement to hatred and violence.