All cases

Profanation of a Roadside Shrine in Przemyśl

July 25, 2022, Poland

During the night of July 25-26, a shrine with a statue of the Virgin Mary was profaned in the district of Przemyśl, in Poland.

Anti-Christian Symbols Graffitied on Walls of the Catholic Church of St. Bartholomäus

July 24, 2022, Germany

The Church of St. Bartholomew in Zeiskam was damaged by unknown perpetrators on the 24. July with anti-Christian and obscene tags. One can see photos of the exterior façade defaced with red paint spray. Some of the symbols are an inverted cross, a star inside a circle (a witchery symbol) and a penis. The St. Bartholomew's Church Foundation has filed a complaint with the police.

A Man Interrupts The Holy Mass Shouting and Hits A Parishioner

July 24, 2022, France

On Sunday 24. July, a 25-year-old resident of Chambourcy was arrested after he seriously disrupted a Holy Mass in the church of Saint-Germain, in Saint-Germain-en-Laye (Yvelines). The man, who happened to be Muslim interrupted the celebration by shouting and calling the parishioners "hypocrites" and "shitty Christians". As a parishioner approached him to ask him to leave, the man hit him with a headbutt and knocked out two of his teeth.

Several attempts of Arson to Church in Mengen

July 23, 2022, Germany

On the days around the 23. July, several cases of attempted arson took place in the Liebfrauenkirche in Mengen. Easily combustible objects were set on fire several times inside the church by unidentified perpetrators. According to the police, there was a danger that the fire would spread to the furnishings, but fortunately, the fires went out by themselves. The criminal investigation department in Sigmaringen is looking for witnesses.

Perpetrators Desecrate and Rob Saint-François-d'Assise Church

July 23, 2022, France

The church of Saint-François-d'Assise in Perpignan was desecrated on the 23. July in the afternoon by a group of vandals. The perpetrators ransacked the church and the sacristry, they threw the consecrated hosts to the ground and attempted to set fire to a statue of the Virgin Mary and dried flowers. They also broke the safe and looted the little money that was in the church from offerings and donations. The police is investigating the case.

Church of Saint Francis of Assisi in Perpignan Desecrated and Profaned

July 23, 2022, France

A "gang of young people" desecrated the church of Saint Francis of Assisi in Perpignan on 23 July, stealing the ciborium, throwing the consecrated hosts to the ground and attempting to set fire to a statue of the Virgin Mary. A "gang of young people" desecrated the church of Saint Francis of Assisi in Perpignan on 23 July, stealing the ciborium, throwing the consecrated hosts to the ground and attempting to set fire to a statue of the Virgin Mary. On the day of the crime, the church had remained open as usual, but now it is closed outside of services," says Marc Olivier, the parishioner who discovered the scene of desolation.

Repeated Arson to Church in Landshut

July 22, 2022, Germany

A burning pew with a strong smoke development in the new parish church of St. Margaret in Landshut caused much damage to the church. Since this is not the first incident of this kind in the recent past in the parish church of St. Margaret, and an accident or spontaneous combustion can be ruled out at this point, it must be assumed to all appearances that the fire was caused by arson. The police have started an investigation on the spot.

Attempted Arson in Weißenau Church

July 22, 2022, Germany

The Ravensburg Criminal Investigation Department is investigating attempted arson after an unknown person apparently tried to set fire to a wooden door of the church of St. Peter and Paul in Weißenau on 22. July.

Vandals Attack Church of of San Michele in Lucca

July 22, 2022, Italy

On the 22nd of July, the church of San Michele in Lucca was attacked by vandals. Someone destroyed a piece made of stone which framed the door on the right side of the church and scattered the pieces on the steps of the church. The parish priest, Don Lucio Malanca lodged a complaint with the police. He also found shattered glass on the floor from a bottle he believes was used to scratch the marble.

Death Threats Sent to Priest in Sevilla

July 21, 2022, Spain

The priest of the municipality of Camas in Sevilla, Pedro José Rodriguez Molina, received a note with death threats on the 21. July. The note said "Ardereis como en el 36" (You will burn like in 36) and "Cloro al clero" (Chlorine to the clergy). The priest posted the note on his social media profile.

Authorities Confirmed Arson to Church in Lessen

July 18, 2022, Germany

On the early evening of July 18, two people attending the church in Leezen noticed smoke building up in the rear area of the church and alerted the authorities. According to the police's preliminary investigations, a box with candles was lit on fire inside the church, deeming this case an "attempted serious arson". However, the extent of the damage caused could not be assessed yet. The police are looking for witnesses who might have seen people acting suspiciously on the church grounds. The arson motive was confirmed later on.

Destruction of Crucifix in Płoty

July 18, 2022, Poland

Unknown perpetrators have destroyed the missionary crucifix located at the Church of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Sorrows in Płoty. The investigation found that the act of devastation was carried out between July 18 and 20.

Vandalism in St. Martini Cemetery

July 17, 2022, Germany

A citizen reported to the police that four benches had been thrown into the pond at St. Martini cemetery in Stadthagen. It is not yet known if the benches were damaged by this act, nor who threw them into the water. The police are investigating the case.

Group of Young Men Harassed and Humiliated Priest

July 17, 2022, Slovakia

Bishop Halko in the city of Pohoda was attacked by a group of drunken young men, who broke bottles, banged on his cabin, and soaked him with water before other people who laughed at the scene. The incident took place during the night and was reported on 17.07.2022. The priest also recalls that the people shouted at him with insults and hung an LGBT Flag on his cottage. It seems that the group attacked the priest after he had expressed his opinion regarding the LGBT movement on TV.

Ukraine: Orthodox Priests Tortured By Russian Forces

July 16, 2022, Ukraine

Dymytrij Rudyuk, the Lviv Metropolitan of the Orthodox Church of Ukraine (OKU), accused the Russian army and the Moscow Patriarch Cyril of being responsible for torturing Ukrainian Orthodox priests. In an interview, he claimed that "the majority of OKU priests had to flee the Russian-occupied areas of Ukraine. Those who stayed are often tortured. Five Orthodox priests were shot and a priest-monk was cruelly tortured to death".

Evangelical Church Signs Targeted By Vandals

July 16, 2022, Germany

The Protestant Gethsemane Church in Berlin-Prenzlauer-Berg was vandalised (again) by unknown perpetrators. The police announced on Thursday that unknown persons graffitied the display case at the church in Stargarder Straße in the night from 15 to 16 July and damaged several posters on various political topics. The police is looking for witnesses for the investigation. In the past, the church has repeatedly been the target of attacks in which, among other things, posters with political content were destroyed.

Swedish Church Vandalized With Swastikas and Penises

July 15, 2022, Sweden

During the night between July 15 and 16, unknown perpetrators vandalized Rydboholm's church in Borås with swastikas, penises, and the word 'Hitler'. The security company was the first to notice the graffiti on the church's facade. When Pastor Sven-Erik Olsson arrived at the church, he noticed how much worse the case actually was: "There is graffiti on windows, on doors, flower pots and even on the stone stairs in front of the gate. It's outrageous, it's the whole community's church". The police were alerted and are looking into the case.

Three Men Vandalize Church and Heavily Beat up Passing Witness

July 15, 2022, Italy

On the 15. July during the night, a 60-year-old restaurant chef witnessed how 3 men were vandalizing the St. Augustine Church in the centre of Cagliari and reprimanded the perpetrators to stop throwing bottles at the church. The three men then attacked him, beating him up and spraying pepper spray on him. The victim was taken to the hospital, he had three broken ribs and a chest injury. The police identified one of the perpetrators through the victim`s testimony and surveillance cameras.

Radical Left Group Attacks Procession of San Fermín

July 7, 2022, Spain

On July 7, during the procession of San Fermín in Pamplona, a group linked to the nationalist radical left, carrying slogans such as "hypocrites out" and "you will go to hell", attacked the procession that was already returning to church. They mainly targeted the politicians, spitting, booing, and using physical violence against the mayor and his entourage. Moreover, the attack also exhibited a Christianophobic character.

Attempted Arson on Church in Montchanin

July 7, 2022, France

It was a passer-by who saw the smoke coming out of the church. An attempted arson attack on the church in Montchanin, was foiled on 7 July. An investigation has been opened. "The Creusot fire brigade was called to the church in Montchanin late on Thursday morning. The fire had been set in a bookcase. The fire was quickly stopped and fortunately did not spread. The first investigations of the gendarmes assumes that another fire had been set, namely in a flowerpot".