Find here a list of cases for the year 2009 which was brought to our attention .
In 2008 and 2009 several isolation cases of vandalizing of churches took place in various parts of Lithuania. These cases include on breaking into churches and vandalizing cemeteries, presumably by satanic groups. Some cases were reported to the police.
The orthodox archpriest was shot dead by criminals after he admonished them for hooliganism. The killers came to the church and defecated in the hallway. The priest asked them to stop their acting and was shot to death.
New FBI statistics on hate crimes show a nine percent increase in crimes against religious groups in 2008 and an almost 25 percent increase in reported hate crimes against Catholics.
Police investigating the brutal assault of two teenage boys in Canterbury in November who say they may have been attacked because they were delivering Christian leaflets.
Aleksejs Ribakovs, Orthodox Priest, was beaten and forced to move to another city to protect his family. One of the suspects was caught and identified as a young Muslim who proclaimed to hate Christians.
Catholics were stoned while participating to a Mass at the cemetery chapel of Donji Vajuf.
German entrepreneur murdered in Istanbul most likely because of hatred towards Christians. CNN-Turk and Agence France Press quote the murderer to have stated in an interrogation that he had aimed at "killing Christians".
The church of the Sacred-Heart of Toulon has been for the past two years the target of malevolent acts. Urine was found in the baptismal font, a church responsible was seriously assaulted, the tabernacle was vandalized and many thefts and degradation are to be deplored. The church had to be kept closed for several weeks in 2009.
Father Noël became a victim of intimidation and threats in Toul over the course of a year. He finally decided to leave the district of la Croix de Metz in Toul.
A Christian minister was brutally attacked in London by three men who ripped off his cross, stole his Bible and threatened to break his legs. Metropolitan Police treated the case as a ‘faith hate’ assault.
The pastor of Zion Baptist Church in Rochdale was attacked by a gang of up to 20 youths. Pastor Dennis Rigg and his brother were making preparations in the church building for their father’s funeral when the group attacked the pastor and shouted out abuse relating to their Christian faith.
Between 15 and 24 February 2009 two churches in the Oxford area were broken into and highly symbolic religious items were desecrated. Local police officers thought the two incidents were linked and were possibly religiously motivated attacks to make a point against the Church of England. In both incidents safes containing communion bread at the churches were forced open, but nothing was stolen in either case. It is estimated that there was £3,000 worth of damage at St James the Great, in West Hanney, and in St Nicholas Church, in East Challow.
A Church of Scotland minister was attacked by a gang of youths on Christmas Day. Reverend Gordon MacKenzie was taking a walk when he was jumped on from behind by a trio of youths he had just passed. He was knocked to the ground by blows about the head and body, then kicked and punched as he was lying on the floor. Revd MacKenzie required hospital treatment for a broken nose, a broken tooth and various injuries to the hand, face and body.
A band of about 30 gays stormed a church in Lansing, Michigan. shouting “Jesus was a homo”, etc. The church was vandalized, obscenities were shouted and worshippers were confronted.
Two Jesuit priests were murdered brutally in Moscow. Jesuit Fathers Otto Messmer, 47, and Victor Betancourt, 42, were found dead late Oct. 28 in their Moscow apartment.
Posters were placed illegally all over the city of Salzburg calling for violence against people praying in front of an abortion clinic. The posters displayed a panda kicking Andreas Laun, the auxiliary bishop of the archdiocese of Salzburg. In bold letters the posters stated: “Kick opponents of abortion (off the sidewalk)”.
Unidentified hooded men attacked four Franciscan monks in their monastary in Turin. All four were hospitalized.
A parish priest was beaten up by three youths who hurled religious abuse during the attack. The assault took place in the churchyard of St Matthew’s Church in Bethnal Green, East London. Reverend Kevin Scully was left with two black eyes and a cut nose, and only escaped more serious injury because a member of the public intervened.
An Italian pro-life politician was pelted with eggs and bottles during an April 2 campaign appearance in Bologna. At least 15 people were injured.