Violation of the Catholic Cemetery; desecration of graves, as well as, the demolition of a cross in Bushat, Shkodër, were reported. Police did not apprehend the perpetrators.
Countless Christian Churches and cemeteries desecrated and vandalized in 2009. Find here a selected overview.
Graffiti on several church buildings, presumably by satanic groups: Two incidents were reported to the police in 2008, one in 2009.
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.
Several acts of vandalism against the church of Derventa were reported in December 2009. Vandals attempted to break in the church, destroyed windows, damaged the cemetery and destroyed lights and decorations.
Chapel set on fire in the night from November 15th to 16th in Over (Hamburg). Damage caused is estimated over 100,000 Euros.
Unknown perpetrators placed several pornographic images in the hymnal books of two Tyrolean Churches, and glued various Jewish and Nazi symbols on the front cover.
The church of Notre-Dame d’Espérance in Siant-Brieux (Côtes d’Armor) was targeted by vandals on Saturday, October 3rd, 2009. Chairs were broken and thrown to the ground, trash was spread in the church and stain glass windows were broken by throwing stones and chairs at them.
About 15 graves were vandalized in the cemetery of Cré near Châteauroux (Indre). Headstones were tipped or broken and funeral ornaments were wrecked.
Vandals broke or extracted numerous white crosses of the military cemetery of Nompatelize (Vosges). The Maire of Nompatelize, Didier Barret, furious, says: “What distinguishes men from animals is the respect for the dead. Those who did this are stupid, I don’t even know if they were aware of their actions. I wish they will once know the price of the blood shed for their peace and freedom.”
Large-scale vandalism of a Christian cemetery recalls decades of suffering by Orthodox Christians in Turkey.
On Thursday, September 17th, 2009, in the evening, a man entered the church of Saint-Hilaire to vandalize the statue of the Virgin Mary. The statue fell on the ground and broke into pieces.
A Christian church in South Wales was targeted by vandals who smashed its newly restored stained glass windows. Worshippers were forced to cancel services in order to fix damages.
70 graves were wrecked in the cemetery of Coudekerque-Branche. Memorial plaques, funeral ornaments and urns were found broken into pieces and laying on the ground. Rocks were also thrown on numerous graves, thus damaging them. David Bailleul, the mayor of Coudekerque-Branche, condems these “obnoxious, unacceptable and scandalous acts”.
In July and in August 2009, the church of Juniville was targeted several times by vandals who broke stained glass windows by throwing rocks at them. The costs of the fixing was estimated at about 10 000€.
The Xth century church of Communay was targeted by vandals during the night of August, 24th, 2009. Two crosses were unhooked and thrown to the ground. Candals and singing books were found all over the church and flower pots were thrown against a stain-glass window.
The church of the Sacred-Heart of Maubeuge was the target of degradations. A parishioner put an and to the damage when he entered the church at approximately 6:30 p.m., thus putting to flight three young men. The three had left a devotional note to Allah.
Around twenty churches were vandalized on the night of July 26th in commemoration of the centenary of the „Tragic Week“ (a series of blood sheding fights between the Spanish army and the working classes) in Barcelona.
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.