All cases

Filtered by: Vandalism (form of hate crime)

Anti-Christian Graffiti on Cathedral of St Pölten

May 1, 2013, Austria

Unknown perpetrators spray painted "We do not want your crosses" on the outside wall of the Catholic Cathedral of St. Pölten in the night to May 1st. The graffiti included crossed-out signs in cross-shapes, a swastika and a so-called Kruckenkreuz (an Austrian historic sign for the right-wing government between 1934-38). Next to a clearly anti-Christian message, the Christian cross was unfairly paired with the Nazi swastika.

Vandalism to Church in Riedlhütte

April 29, 2013, Germany

Significant damage was done to the church of Riedlhütte in Germany. The microphones in the church were damaged and thrown into the holy water, a statue of Jesus on the altar was damaged and the four crosses in the church entrance were damaged. The total damage is estimated at 1,200 euros.

Three Teenagers Broke Into Church in Crailsheim

April 26, 2013, Germany

Three teenagers broke into a church in Crailsheim, German with the intention of stealing money. They broke through a window and the door of the office. A resident heard the noise and called the police who arrested the teenagers. They caused an estimated damage of 1000 euros.

Burglary in St. John’s Church in Rostock

April 23, 2013, France

Unidentified perpetrators broke into the St. John's church by forcing their way through a window. Almost every interior door was damaged. The offices were raided and cupboards and containers ransacked. Computer accessories worth several hundred euros were stolen. The case was taken over by the Crime police.

Vandalism in St. Peter's Church in Wesel

April 23, 2013, Germany

Vandals brutally damaged the parish church of St. Peter’s church in Wesel, Germany. They broke their way in and once inside broke more doors, ransacked the cupboards and drawers in the sacristy and tried to open two safes.

Burglary at Church in Dettelbach

April 23, 2013, Germany

A church in Dettelbach, Germany, was broken into by unidentified perpetrators who stole a case of sacred objects. They entered by breaking the door of the sacristy and then tried to open a safe that was in a closet but they did not succeed. It is believed that the perpetrators escaped through the cemetery because one of the stolen items was found there. The damage caused is of an estimated 1,500 euros.

Burglary Attempt in Two Churches

April 19, 2013, Germany

A youth attempted to break a safe in the St. James’ church in Saterland, Germany. He tried to escape but in his haste he caused an accident so the police caught him. It turned out he had broken into the St. Jacob’s church as well.

Attempted Burglary in St. George’s Church in Neustadt

April 16, 2013, Germany

An unidentified perpetrator tried to break into the St. George’s church through the door of the sacristy. He used a screwdriver which left visible marks on the door. His attempt of burglary failed but the door was damaged.

Church in Hauture in Fos-sur-Mer Vandalised

April 15, 2013, France

During the night from April 14th, 2013, a Church in Hauture in Fos-sur-Mer was broken into by vandals. They broke into a window to get inside the church. After forcing open the tabernacle and finding nothing inside they stole money from the donation box for the candles. They left the church after defecating onto the organ, using the altar cloth for wiping.

Graffiti and Desecration to Church in Caorso

April 1, 2013, Italy

In the night of Easter Sunday graffiti was spray painted in the churchyard of Santa Maria Assunta in Caorso. Drawings were made of satanic pentagrams with lots of red candles at both ends. A wafer was stuck on the door with the words "Animate vacuum" (empty soul).

Saint-Jean Cathedral of Lyon Broken Into

March 23, 2013, France

On Saturday, March the 23rd, around 6.30 pm, an Iranian citizen aged 28, was arrested and taken into custody. He had broken into the Saint-Jean Cathedral of Lyon and seriously damaged the astronomical clock with an iron bar.

Church of Saint-Similien Nantes Vandalised

March 23, 2013, France

The church of Saint-Similien Nantes was vandalised on the night of the 23rd of March. Someone hid in the confessional on Friday night and then desecrated the stoup and vandalised the organ. An ermine chasuble, the organ bench and the light of the tabernacle were stolen.

20 Graves Desecrated in Elne-Cemetery in Pyrenees-Orientales

March 22, 2013, France

During the night of March 22nd more than 20 graves were desecrated in the Elne-Cemetery in Pyrenees-Orientales. This happened before in 2008 when 248 graves were vandalised, almost all of them Christian tombs.

Catholic Bookstore Vandalised Once Again

March 15, 2013, France

Another Catholic bookshop (“Notre-Dame-de-France”) was trashed on the 15th of March in Paris. The windows were broken and books thrown on the floor. There have been 26 reports of similar incidents over the past year.

Catholic Bookstore Vandalised in Paris

March 15, 2013, France

The window of a Catholic bookshop, Our Lady of France (former "Bookstore Petit Pont ") was smashed.

Attempted Arson at Saint-Nicolas Church in Fribourg

March 11, 2013, Switzerland

On March 11th at around 7pm, the cantonal police were called to the scene at Saint-Nicolas in Fribourg, as an employee restrained two individuals who tried to hang a banner in the cathedral. They had also poured gasoline into the stoup to set it on fire.

Church Vandalised in Lecce

March 3, 2013, Italy

Vandals entered the St. Michael's Parish Centre in Lecce and set fire to a holy book that was on the lectern. Fortunately the fire was put out before more damage was done.

Church Burglarised and Desecrated in Oberhausem

February 27, 2013, Germany

Unidentified criminals burglarised and vandalised the Catholic church St. Josef in Oberhausem, North Rhine Westphalia. The act included desecration of the tabernacle, the altar and a relic. Several precious stones were taken and the registry was left in disarray.

Vandalism and Burglary in St. Joseph’s Church in Oberhausen

February 27, 2013, Germany

The church of St. Joseph’s in Oberhausen, Germany was broken into by a burglar who after a failed attempt to enter through a window broke the door to the sacristy. He smashed an old alter relic when trying to open the next door into the church. The police were called and came with their tracking dogs but they lost the trail. All the cabinets in the church were broken and the contents dumped on the ground. Microphone and sound cables were torn out and on his way out the burglar stole gems.

Church Vandalised in Gummersbach, Hessen

February 22, 2013, Germany

Around 12 pm on the 22nd of February unknown perpetrators broke into the parish of Gummersbach, Hessen and stole the offertory. They pried it off the wall with scissors which seriously damaged the sacral space.