All cases
Statues of Saints and the Virgin Mary Smashed, Decapitated, and Stolen in Ticino
October 10, 2018, SwitzerlandSince Easter, there have been eight attacks against statues of female saints and the Virgin Mary in the southern canton of Ticino.
Cross Torn Down in Lesvos
October 7, 2018, GreeceA huge cement cross erected over a beach in honor of people who have drowned there was torn down by unknown perpetrators during the night of October 7th. The NGO "Coexistence and Communication in the Aegean" had previously called the cross "offensive" to non-Christian migrants, a symbol of "racism and intolerance," and claimed that it had been placed above the beach to prevent refugees and migrants from swimming there. Local residents reacted with dismay and discussed re-building it.
Statue of Virgin Mary and Child Decapitated in Noirmoutier
August 19, 2018, FranceDuring the night of the 18th to 19th of August, the 3.5 meter public statue of the Virgin Mary and Child was decapitated. Residents were shocked and searched the nearby forest for the missing heads but found nothing. Parishioners were dismayed, as the statue has stood in the community since 1949. The priest, who called the incident violent and shocking, filed a complaint with the police.
Christ Figure on Crucifix Destroyed
April 15, 2018, GermanyDuring the weekend of April 14th-15th, unknown persons severely damaged the Christ figure on the Rottmann-Wegekreuz am Reckelsberg.
Court Ruled 2015 Desecration of Cemetery was "Anti-Christian" Attack
March 29, 2018, FranceOn March 29th, the Court of Appeals in Toulouse ruled that Mohamed B., who desecrated and vandalized 215 graves, knocked down and broke crosses and other Christian symbols in a cemetery in Castres in 2015, was civilly liable for the religiously-motivated act. He had been found not criminally responsible due to mental illness, but on appeal, the court found him personally liable for compensation to AGRIF (Alliance générale contre le racisme et pour le respect de l'identité française et chrétienne).
Woman Fined for Projecting Cross on Church Facade
March 18, 2018, SpainA woman in the community of Callosa de Segura was sanctioned 100 euros per day for projecting the image of a cross on the wall of the church of San Martin.
Acts of Vandalism in a Cemetery in Ardèche
March 17, 2018, FranceOn March 17th, locals discovered that 18 graves in the Saint-Romain-d'Ay cemetery had been vandalized, with crosses broken. Complaints were filed and the police began an investigation.
Statue of Virgin Mary in Champagnat Stolen
March 7, 2018, FranceThe statue of Virgin Mary in an oratory in Champagnat was torn from its base and stolen on the eve of International Women's Day. An explanatory note was left by the vandals, saying that Mary did not want to remain behind an iron gate, surrounded by plastic flowers and peeling paint, but wished to "withdraw to meditate on the state of the sacred feminine" and that she would return.
Alpes-Maritimes: Mission Cross vandalized in Grasse
February 18, 2018, FranceOn the morning of February 18th, municipal services workers discovered that the "Mission Cross" in Grasse had been vandalized during the night. The nearly 500 kg wrought iron cross was bent and the pedestal was deliberately moved into the roadway. The cross, dating from 1894, had been completely renovated by Jean-Marie Rouvier, of the Compagnons du Patrimoine en Pays de Grasse, in June 2016. Mayor Jérôme Viaud condemned the vandalism and launched a police investigation.