All cases

Minors Set Altar on Fire

April 6, 2024, Austria

Two Children, one of them a 12-year-old boy, set a fire to the Serbian Orthodox Church of Our Lady in Feldkirch causing considerable damage. After searching the unlocked donation boxes for cash, they set the cloth at the altar in the back of the church on fire endangering liturgical objects.

St. Johann parish church robbed and desecrated

February 20, 2024, Austria

Unknown perpetrators broke into the parish church of St. Johann in Tirol, Austria, and stole and damaged religious objects. The figure of Christ was broken off a wooden cross.

"Religion of Lies" Sprayed on Loosdorf Church

February 15, 2024, Austria

Unknown perpetrators daubed the walls of the Loosdorf parish church with the words “Religion of Lies”. On another wall vandals had sprayed the words “Sol invictus”, meaning "undefeated sun god".

Stations of the cross vandalised

February 13, 2024, Austria

The stations of the cross, that are usually installed in the forest between the old to the new cemetery of St Stephan's church in Amstetten, Austria, have been vandalised. Some of the wooden crosses were torn out of the ground and destroyed.

Arson attack on Maria Namen Church in Vienna

December 26, 2023, Austria

On December 26, unknown perpetrators set fire to the entrance of Maria Namen Parish Church in the 16th district of Vienna, Austria. A construction site toilet, which had been placed at the entrance of the church due to current rennovations, has been set on fire and completely melted. Apparently, fire accelerants must have been used. The parish priest, Jesus David Jean Villalobos, suspects arson.

Arrests after Prevented Potential Attack on Cathedral

December 23, 2023, Austria

Austria has increased security measures over Christmas due to threats of Islamist terror attacks. The suspected targets should have been Vienna's Cathedral and a few other churches. The Tajik man arrested in Germany was allegedly part of a terrorist group discovered in Vienna. The police is suspecting an Islamist terrorist motive and a connection to the ISIS-K (Islamic State - Khorasan Province). Although the suspect fled, a few other suspected terrorists, namely a man from Chechnya, another Tajik man and a woman from Turkey, were arrested before Christmas. The fugitive was arrested in Germany and is awaiting extradition to Austria.

Bomb Threat against Austrian Heiligenkreuz Abbey

December 9, 2023, Austria

On December 9, the Austrian Heiligenkreuz Abbey in the district Baden received a bomb threat. The threatening call came shorty before 5 pm. The police confirmed that the threat had an Islamist motive. According to media reports, the aggressor said on the phone: "Convert to Islam, or I will bomb you." Special police forces promptly searched the public areas of the monastery, but no suspicious items were found on the premises.

Sacred Objects stolen from Church in Guttaring

November 30, 2023, Austria

On the night of November 20, unknown perpetrators broke into the pilgrimage church in Guttaring. They stole gold crowns, gold and silver chains that were connected to a picture of Mary. Furthermore, the locked altar area was broken into and religious objects were stolen from the altar. The cost of the damage is unknown and the police are investigating the situation further.

Threats and Disturbance inside Vienna's Cathedral

November 26, 2023, Austria

On November 26, a 29-year-old man from Syria disrupted the Sunday Mass in Vienna's St. Stephan Cathedral. According to media reports, he repeatedly disturbed the liturgy, jumped over the fence around the main alter and screamed loudly. 

Statue of Mary Damaged and Cross Stolen from Church in Vienna

November 24, 2023, Austria

On November 23, Keplerkirche St. Johann in Vienna was vandalized. Witnesses had seen a man who had allegedly tore a statue of the Madonna from an anchorage in the church and stole a wooden cross. Based on the witness statements and video surveillance footage, the police were able to identify the perpetrator. The 29-year-old Syrian man was found near the church and arrested. He will be charged with aggravated damage to property and theft. The stolen cross was returned to the church. The same perpetrator attacked the Viennese St. Stephan cathedral a few days later (see case from November 26, 2023).

Man Attacks People Praying outside Abortion Clinic

October 28, 2023, Austria

During the prayer initative "40 Days for Life" a man and a woman holding signs and praying outside an abortion clinic in Vienna were attacked by a man. The man snatched the signs, which displayed the picture of a baby, from them and violently broke the signs into pieces. He also took one of the signs and ran away with it. 

Man Broke into 26 Churches in Austria

September 30, 2023, Austria

A man who broke into 26 churches in Austria has been tracked down in Hungary. The man is said to have broken doors and windows of churches. He also broke into sacristies and sacrificial boxes to steal cash.

Glass Door of St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna Destroyed with Hammer

August 27, 2023, Austria

In the evening of August 27, on the fringes of a Syrian protest, a glass door of the St. Stephen's Cathedral in Vienna was smashed with a hammer. The police, who were present due to the rally scheduled for the evening, immediately arrested the perpetrator armed with two hammers. The man was taken to the hospital, in case he was suffering from psychosis - the police considered a connection with the demonstration unlikely.

Satanic Symbols sprayed on Church Wall in Graz

August 2, 2023, Austria

In the night of 1st to 2nd of August, a church in Graz was vandalised with graffiti. Perpetrators painted inverted crosses on the outside walls of the church. Inverted crosses are known to be anti-Christian, satanic and occultist symbols. The police were notified and have started an investigation.

Human excrements left in sacristy after theft

July 26, 2023, Austria

On July 29, a thief broke into the Romanian Orthodox church of Stegersbach, Austria, after the evening prayers. Next to stealing 150-200 euros from the donation box, the thief also left human excrements in the sacristy.

Theft and Damage in Villach-Auen church

July 21, 2023, Austria

Unknown perpetrators broke open the window of a church in Villach-Auen, Austria. By breaking open a door, they then gained access to the sacristy, rummaged through the cabinets and stole the donation box.

Austria: Youths wanted to "Shoot all Christians" in their School Class

July 16, 2023, Austria

On the 16th of July, two youths stood trial in Leoben on charges of terrorist association and criminal organization. A 16-year-old and a 15-year-old planned a terrorist attack on MS Bruck school, since early 2022. The police found out through their chats that the plans were far advanced. When questioned, the perpetrators confirmed that they "wanted to shoot all the Christians in the class". The boys have now been convicted by law.

Statues of Jesus and Mary decapitated in Viennese Park

July 3, 2023, Austria

Images of Jesus and Mary were beheaded and vandalized in a prayer garden in a district of Vienna, Austria. The prayer garden is considered a spiritual oasis for visitors. The alarm was raised by two bypassers who discovered the devastated prayer garden. The police have been notified and they are conducting investigations to identify the motives and the perpetrators. A video by "Project Telos" shows the devastation of several objects in the garden, and the direct targeting of the statues of Mary and Jesus.

Man Arrested After He desecrated and vandalized an Austrian Church

May 8, 2023, Austria

On the 9th of May, the Police of Salzburg have arrested a man who hurled a bottle of red wine he had brought with full force against the high altar on Monday morning in the parish church of Schwarzach im Pongau. Thus, two altar lights were knocked over and the offering table and brickwork were contaminated by the wine. The man had entered the church loudly ranting and gesticulating aggressively and spat at a statue of Christ. The man - a Czech citizen who is banned from staying in Austria - was filmed in the church by two video cameras.

Church in Schwaz sprayed with satanic graffiti

April 28, 2023, Austria

On April 28 between 12:00 and 5:30 PM, the "Maria Himmelfahrt" parish church in Schwaz was vandalized. An inverted pentagram and the number "666" was sprayed in blue paint on the stone floor and on a confessional. The graffiti on the 500-year-old floor was in front of the altar. The perpetrators have been caught by the police.

Protestant Church in Austria Target of Vandalism

April 20, 2023, Austria

On Thursday 20th of April, the Protestant Kreuzkirche in Graz was targeted by vandals. The Austrian police were able to catch one of the perpetrators. The witness Christine Pfau was working inside the church when the attack occurred. She was preparing everything for the next service when she heard a sound noice and saw a colored smoke through the windows. The Vandals had smeared the walls, the pillars and the church doors with about 15 spray cans, scraps of smoke and paint bombs and left even more rubbish lying on the floor.

Two People arrested for having stolen 14 Skulls in a Church Ossuary

April 1, 2023, Austria

On the 1. April, two German men were arrested after a random police control for having stolen 14 skulls in a Church Ossuary in Mölbling, Austria. The men said they had taken the skulls because they were interested in mourning and funeral cultures. The 43-year-old driver and his 35-year-old passenger from the Regensburg area said they had never stolen skulls before. The police seized the objects and stated that the two death cult fans would be charged with disturbing the peace of the dead after the investigation was completed.

Vienna: Increased Secutity Cameras in Churches

March 21, 2023, Austria

A terrorist alert in the city of Vienna on 15. March made it particularly obvious, that religious buildings and communities live in fear of attacks or vandalism. During the 15. March, the police guarded several religious sites and churches in the city, according to possible threats of an Islamist attack identified by the intelligence office. Security cameras have been dispatched in many Viennese churches. Jewish and Muslim communities also have such protections.

Viennese Catholic Church vandalized with Graffiti

March 12, 2023, Austria

On the 12th of March, a person noticed that the side of the church at the Karmelitenplatz in Vienna's second district (Karmelitenchurch) had been vandalised with graffiti in black paint that says "No God" (Kein Gott). It is not sure when the graffiti was made or if it was filed with the police. The vandals also remain unknown.

Unknown Vandals Damage Confessionals with Burnt Cigarette Marks

January 25, 2023, Austria

On the 25th of January, unknown perpetrators damaged the confessional chairs of a church with cigarette buds. The police have described the damages located in Saalfelden, Austria as willful damage to numerous pews. The investigation is still ongoing to find out the perpetrator(s).

Church in Vienna Tagged With Anti-Christian slogan

November 30, 2022, Austria

"No God, No State, No Patriarchy" was sprayed on the walls of the Breitenfeld Church in Vienna in a vandalic attack that took place in late November. An eyewitness sent the picture to OIDAC Europe.

Arsonists Set Several Fires At the Franciscan church in Austria

November 2, 2022, Austria

In a Berchtesgaden Franciscan church, on the 2nd of November, a churchgoer noticed a fire on an offering candlestick. He then discovered that between the candles there was a burning Divine Praise hymnal and floral decorations. She quickly alerted the Father, with whom they managed to extinguish the fire. Two other fires were discovered, which were also started by placing hymn books on burning candles. The fire brigade was called and they ventilated the church. The police were looking for information, they are treating the case as arson.

Several Baroque Church Windows Damaged by Vandals in Austria

October 8, 2022, Austria

Between the 7. and 8. October, unknnown perpetrators threw apples at the hexagonal baroque windows of a collegiate church in Klagenfurt. The police has to quantify the amount of the damage to property.

Sacristan Brutally Beaten Up While Praying

September 29, 2022, Austria

In the district of Haselbach in Braunau, a sacristan was brutally beaten up during his evening prayers on the 29. September. The perpetrator has been identified as a 26-year-old homeless man from Romania. The perpetrator had asked the 87-year-old sacristan for money, who had given him some help before. This time, the sacristan refused and the young man decided to attack him. The victim was found by witnesses, who saw him severely injured and alerted the police.

Church Window Smashed With Stones in Austria

July 19, 2022, Austria

Between July 10 and 19, unknown vandals smashed two windows in the parish of St. Paul in Klein. The perpetrators threw stones at the windows, creating a total of five holes distributed over the panes' surface. The total amount of the property damage has not been assessed yet but, according to the police, it is estimated to be around several thousand euros, since "these are very old and colorful stained glass panes".

Church in Innsbruck Vandalized by Two Teenage Girls

July 8, 2022, Austria

On the 8th of July, two young girls, aged between 12 and 15, vandalized a church located on Innsbruck's Spingeser Strasse. According to the police report, the two "destroyed bibles, candles, and sacrificial box candle jars". They further shattered flower pots, ripped seat cushions from the benches, and threw a statue from a pedestal. The total amount of the damages caused has not been accessed yet, but the case was reported to the police who started an investigation.

Men Arrested in Neumarkt for Repeated Theft and Property Damage to Churches

June 1, 2022, Austria

On the 1st of June, two Romanian men, aged 42 and 50, were caught red-handed emptying the offering box of the church in Neumarkt. They have "partially" confessed to trying to steal money from 20 churches in Lower Austria. The total damage caused, was estimated to be around 800 euros.

Salzburg: Van from Catholic Group Graffitied for 7th Time

May 30, 2022, Austria

For the 7th time, a vehicle of the Catholic help group "HOME Base" Salzburg, was spray-painted, covering the name, logo, and slogan on the van. This time it happened on the 30th of May. The victims later wrote on Facebook "Thank you, dear 'Antifada' confused neighbors." They also called on the City of Salzburg to do something to prevent such attacks.

Vienna: Historic Karlskirche Smeared with Graffiti (Again)

May 21, 2022, Austria

On the 21st of May, the Karlskirche in Vienna was graffitied for the fourth time in 2022. It is not known who did it. According to the Witness who reported these incidents, this is the worst year so far with vandalism and there are damages to the church almost every day.

Theft of Sacred Objects from Church in Innsbruck

May 19, 2022, Austria

A thief, who was later caught, stole a chalice and a chest of hosts from a church in the Saggen district of Innsbruck. The incident happened on May 18th and the thief was arrested by the police. The stolen goods would be given back to the church after the hearing.

Karlskirche in Vienna Tagged with Graffiti (3rd time in 2022)

May 16, 2022, Austria

On the 16th of May, the Karlskirche in Vienna was targeted with graffiti.

Vandalism to Evangelical Church in Vöcklabruck

May 6, 2022, Austria

The evangelical church in Vöcklabruck, Austria, was vandalized on Friday the 6th of May. Three lights on the pathway outside the church were kicked over, and notices, brochures, leaflets, and prayer books were scattered all over the inside of the church. The microphones were damaged and the offering box was broken open from which money was then stolen. The amount of damage was not entirely clear but the police were investigating.

Anti-Christian and Nazi Tags on Parish Church in Mautern

May 6, 2022, Austria

The outer walls of the parish church in Mautern were sprayed with Nazi symbols on May 6th. Once the police had the relevant details, they were able to identify the perpetrators who were brothers aged 21 and 27 from the Leoben district. The property damage was significant. One graffiti reads "F** Jesus".

Satanic Graffiti and Desecration in Graz Church

April 28, 2022, Austria

Satanic graffiti appeared in the St. Vincent church in Graz on the 28th of April. The word Satan, upside-down crosses, and the Antichrist number 666 were painted with red spray paint on the walls and altar of the church. The vandals also sprayed an angel's face red and burnt a bible. The Priest, Wolfgang Pucher commented, "It's just unbelievable."

Valuable Items Stolen from Church in Villach

April 28, 2022, Austria

During the night of May 28th, unknown perpetrators entered the Heiligenkreuzkirche in Villach and stole several items. They took gold-plated candlesticks, the quantity of which was not yet known, as well as a gold-plated lamp. An investigation was started and the amount of damage was still being quantified.

Russian Orthodox Church in Laa an der Thaya Vandalized

April 19, 2022, Austria

A Russian Orthodox Church in Laa an der Thaya was graffitied with the tags "Putin Stop" and "No! War" on the 19th of April. This appeared on the entrance pillars to the church which is no place to express political feelings. The Russian Embassy called it a "cowardly action" of "particularly cynical contempt" and said, "We are outraged to the depths of our souls by an act of vandalism in relation to the Orthodox Church."

Church in Zell Vandalised

April 4, 2022, Austria

The Evangelical church in Zell was vandalised by strangers on April 4th. A large window was smashed by an object of considerable size and shingles were torn off the façade. The Church filled a complaint and the police began an investigation with the hope that some DNA would be left on the shingles.

Several Anti-Christian Graffitis on Christian's Homes and Workplaces

March 17, 2022, Austria

Around the 8th of March, several Anti-Christian graffitis appeared in Vienna. The home and office of Gerhard Labschütz, a pro-life Catholic, were painted with anti-Christian tags by unknown vandals. The graffitied epithets read: "here lives a Christian fundamentalist" and "abort fundamentalists." Mr Labschütz is also the managing director of the Catholic-based Austrian Cartell Association (ÖCV), the offices that were also targeted by the perpetrators. Similar tags were found outside the offices of two other organisations: "Fairändern" and the "Lebensbewegung" (ÖLB).

Perpetrators Despoil and Damage Church in Villach

March 1, 2022, Austria

On March 1st, unknown perpetrators broke into the Villach parish church and tore off the metal decoration of a picture of the Virgin Mary while also stealing five gold plated candlesticks worth several hundred euros. During the police investigation, two metal bowls from the holy water font were also found near the crime scene.

Karlskirche in Vienna Vandalized for the Second Time in 2022

February 4, 2022, Austria

On the 4th of February, the Karlskirche in Vienna was vandalized by unknown people.

Karlskirche in Vienna Tagged Again by Unknown Vandals

January 8, 2022, Austria

On the night of the 7. to 8. January, the historical Karlskirche in Vienna was tagged with red paint by unknown vandals. Among the symbols, there were blasphemous drawings, anarchist and communist symbols. Johannes Pasquali, a Viennese politician, demanded that security cameras be installed to protect the church. These attacks and vandalism have been repetitive for some months.

Christ Child Theft in Modling Nativity

December 31, 2021, Austria

The Christ Child figurine was stolen from a nativity scene in the Herz-Jesu parish in Modling. It was over fifty years old and had little monetary value so the Vicariate Councillor & Pastoral Assistant Alexandra Kommer expects it was done as a prank adding: "Who does something like that?" The police started an investigation to find the thieves.

Theft of Figures from Nativity Scene in Enzesfel

December 31, 2021, Austria

A bold theft of three kings and some sheep was carried out on on New Years Eve from the "Grödner nativity scene" in the Enzesfeld parish church by a unidentified man. Once video surveillance was viewed, the police saw the theft occur but the absence of the figures was only noticed by pastor Pastor Krzysztof Szczesny on January 7th. The 140 year old scene which is put up every year has had to be dismantled for fear of further thefts.

100 Nickolas Sacks Stolen from Amstetten Church

December 7, 2021, Austria

Unknown malefactors broke into the vicarage of the Herz Jesu Church in Amstetten and stole 100 St. Nicholas Sacks on the 7th December. The sacks, which were intended for the children of the church, were filled with sweets, fruit, and nuts. They youth group had filled the sacks and was quite angered by the theft which showed complete disregard for church property.

OSCE Report shows alarming increase of Anti-Christian Hate Crimes

November 16, 2021, Austria

On the "International Day for Tolerance", the OSCE released a Hate Crimes Report, which documented 980 descriptive incidents against Christians out of 4008 incidents. Descriptive incidents are the ones documented by civil society organizations, such as the Observatory. There is a larger number of cases when police numbers are counted. The Observatory has drawn attention to the rising trend (70%) of Anti-Christian Hate Crimes since last year, considering that only 8 out of the 136 civil society or international organisations consistently reported crimes with Anti-Christian bias.

Man Steals 55 Euros from the Mariahilfe Church in Vienna

November 11, 2021, Austria

The Viennese police caught a 40-year-old man in a Church in Vienna-Mariahilf on the morning of the 11th after a burglary. He was temporarily handcuffed and the stolen offertory money was seized, as the Vienna Police Directorate reported in a press release on Friday. According to spokeswoman Barbara Gass, about 55 euros were found on the man. The perpetrator has been imprisoned.

A 23-year-old Vandalised a Church in Vienna

October 19, 2021, Austria

On 19. October, A 23-year-old man vandalized the church Nepomuk-Kirche in Vienna by damaging the furniture in the church and throwing things to the ground. The young man from Bangladesh was arrested shortly after witnesses saw him and raised the alarm by calling the police at around 8:30 pm. The man told the police that the church would belong to him.

Activists and Student Union Block Pro-life March With Anti-Christian Slogans and Insults

October 16, 2021, Austria

On the 16. October, around 2.500 people gathered for the "March for Life" in Vienna, a peaceful protest for the rights of the unborn and women. The participants faced opposition and insults from activists who planned to disrupt the march and create blockades, forcing them to change the route. The call against the pro-life march was made with polarizing language by different organizations, including the ÖH (Österreichische Hochschüler_innenschaft), which is the statutory representation of students' interests, Antifa, and other political groups. They organized a "March for Ass" and displayed anti-Christian slogans such as "abort fundamentalists" or "If Mary had aborted, we would have spared you". Jan Ledochowski, spokesperson for Christian Democracy filed a formal complaint.

Right-Wing Extremists Storm Pastoral Office in Linz

September 23, 2021, Austria

Around 15 hooded men have stormed the office of the Diocese of Linz with leaflets, banners, and a megaphone. The pursuit was to protest against a memorial that will be placed in Linz's city cemetery for the refugees who died in the Mediterranean Sea. The group apparently belongs to the right-wing extremist "Identitäre" (Identitarians).

Enormous Damage Caused to Vandalised Church in Burgerland

September 5, 2021, Austria

The Evangelical Church of Markt Allhau has been vandalised by unknown perpetrators during the night of the 5th to 6th of September. The whole façade of the church was smeared with ketchup, eggs, and bananas while a window was broken with a stone. The incident has been reported to the police and they are investigating. The damage amounts to several thousand euros.

Parish Priest in Vienna Locks Thieve in

August 12, 2021, Austria

A priest in Vienna simply locked up an offertory thief in his church. The priest had kept an eye on the suspicious 39-year-old male of Romanian descent, who has allegedly been stealing money from the offertory since July 2021. When he returned on August 10, 2021, the parish priest observed the man's actions through video surveillance and simply locked him up, while he stole again. Without further ado, he informed the police about the thieve. Police are currently investigating the case.

Karl's Church in Vienna Repeatedly Vandalised with Graffiti

July 29, 2021, Austria

The Karls Church in Vienna has been repeatedly attacked and spray painted by vandals. Figures of the crime statistics show that this is by no means an isolated case since the number of offences of damage to property has increased by 46.7 per cent alone in the last year. After the latest attacks on places of worship, the Vienna People's Party (ÖVP) is requesting security measures to keep places of worship safe.

Man Arrested for Torturing 6 Monks Out of Hatred Against the Church

June 14, 2021, Austria

Vienna police arrested the main suspect, who is alleged to have robbed and tortured six monks in Vienna-Strebersdorf. The man bound and gagged all his victims and brutally beat them with an iron rod. Five of the victims were seriously injured, while one fought for his life for several months. The suspect, a man of Serbian descent but with a Croatian citizenship, was caught and arrested in Zagreb after a two-year investigation. The suspect admitted that he committed the crime, as a motive he said he hated the church and wanted to avenge the ones hurt by them. He is facing a prison sentence of up to 15 years.

Servite Church in Innsbruck Heavily Vandalised

March 31, 2021, Austria

Unknown perpetrators vandalized the Servite Church in Tirol's capital Innsbruck. The damage caused has been estimated to be several thousand Euros. According to police reports, the perpetrators destroyed several statues, sacred objects, and contaminated the premises. It is thought to have occurred sometime between 11.25 and 11.55 on the 31st of March. Police were investigating and witnesses were asked to come forward.

Arson at St.Peter Church in Linz

March 28, 2021, Austria

On March 28th, the church of St. Peter in Linz was severely damaged by a fire. According to the church's parish priest, the fire was set inside a chapel near the wooden altar. Despite early attempts to extinguish the fire, the wooden altar was destroyed and a statue of the Virgin Mary was damaged. The next day the police reported that a book commemorating the dead, which was lying on a side table, had been purposefully set on fire. Since the fire did not pose a serious threat to any person, the police stated they would only investigating for damage to property. The damage amounts to around €80,000.

Vandals Splash Church In Vienna With Paint and Liquid Plaster

February 10, 2021, Austria

On the night of February 10th, unknown perpetrators attacked the St. Joseph church on Karmeliterplatz in Vienna with paint and plaster. The doors of the church were splashed with white paint and the staircase below splashed with liquid plaster. This was not the first attack of this kind against the church, as the church has repeatedly been the victim of vandalism since November 2020.

Radical Feminists Attacked Austrian Platform For Christian Democracy With Paint

February 8, 2021, Austria

On February 8th, radical feminist groups disrupted a solidarity rally, in front of the Polish embassy in Vienna, of the Platform for Christian Democracy. The Platform demands an end to the discrimination against people with disabilities and therefore wanted to demonstrate its support for the new amendment of the Polish abortion law, which denies abortion on the ground of eugenics. After interrupting the march, the perpetrators smeared the Platforms' office walls with radical feminists and insulting slogans, reading "fundamentalists abort them". The Platform filed a complaint at the police who is investigating.

ÖCV (Austrian Catholic Cartel Association) Resistance Memorial Smeared by Vandals

January 19, 2021, Austria

In the morning hours of January 19th, the ÖCV (Austrian Catholic Cartel Association) house was vandalized. A group of left-wing extremists entered the ÖCV house and smeared several signs in the entrance area with black paint. The plaque at the memorial for the victims and resistance fighters from the rank of the ÖCV was demolished with red paint and elsewhere anarchist symbols were left behind.

Suspected Arson at Holy Spirit Church in Vienna

January 9, 2021, Austria

The Holy Spirit Church in Vienna has to be completely renovated due to heavy sooting after a fire on January 9th. According to the Archdiocese of Vienna, the "fire event", reported to the police, could have been an arson attack. A box of cushions was burning, which caused a lot of soot. "We suspect that the cushions were set on fire. There are no candles near the scene of the fire and people usually don not smoke in a church." Michael Prüller, spokesman for the Archdiocese of Vienna stated. The church will remain closed indefinitely.

Christmas Tree in Vienna Trenched with Gasoline "because it doesn't belong in a Muslim district"

January 1, 2021, Austria

On New Year's Eve, around 20-30 adolescents had gathered in Vienna, attacking shops, apartment balconies and other facilities on a public square with explosive pyrotechnical supplies. They also poured a diesel-gasoline mixture over a Christmas tree. Several trash cans flew against windows damaging the surrounding shop windows. "A Christmas tree has no place in a Muslim district, said one of the rioters," a member of the emergency services stated. The rioting mob also attacked the police officers by throwing firecrackers at them and shouting "Allahu Akbar"slogans. Four people were arrested immediately and the local government initiated a new security strategy for the area.

Graffiti in a Staircase in Vienna Calls Out To Murder Christians and Glorifies Islamist Terror Attack

November 28, 2020, Austria

On November 28th, unknown perpetrators tagged a staircase of a Viennese municipal building with threats. The words "Death to Christians", "the house will soon belong to us and than the whole world" and glorifications of the Islamist terror attack in Vienna were smeared on the walls. Moreover, the graffitis said: May "Allah" have "mercy" on the 20-year-old assassin who murdered four people on November 2nd. The police was informed and a complaint was filed. The LVT (State Office for the Protection of the Constitution and Fight against Terrorism) has started investigations.

9-Year-Old Tried to Set Fire to Church Repetitive Times

November 9, 2020, Austria

A nine-year-old boy is suspected to have initiated arson attacks in the parish Church in Schwaz on November 5th, 6th and 9th. The objects to be set on fire included a prayer book, notes and boxes. The nine-year-old boy was seen by the police by attempting to light a power cable in the church.

"Christians Into Hell" Tag on St. Andrew's Church in Vienna

November 6, 2020, Austria

On November 6th, the gate of the St. Andrew's Church in Vienna was smeared by unknown perpetrators with an anti-Christian inscription: "Christians into hell". According to "Heute" Newspaper, there was a signature from "Antifa 24", an organization that doesn't exist anymore. The spokesman of the police, Markus Dittrich, said that the perpetrator will be charged with serious damage to property and the Office for the Protection of the Constitution is leading an investigation. This occurred in the same week as the terror-attack in Vienna, were four innocent people were killed by a perpetrator pledging allegiance to the Islamic State.

Catholic Nun Physically Attacked on Public Transportation

October 31, 2020, Austria

In Graz, a catholic nun was attacked in a bus by a 19-year-old man from Afghanistan on October 31st. The 76-year-old nun was on a bus, when she was slapped on her ear by the perpetrator, who tried to flee. The slap was so hard that the hearing aid of the woman fell out, fortunately she did not suffer any injuries. The police arrested the man with the help of the surveillance camera footage of the bus.

Attack Against St.Anton Church in Vienna

October 29, 2020, Austria

In Vienna, about 30 to 50 young people with a Turkish background entered the church St. Anton on the evening of October 28th. The group rioted and kicked against benches and the confessional while shouting Islamist slogans like "Allahu Akbar". A surveillance camera recorded the scene. Two weeks prior to this incident the church and its surroundings started to be molested by the group. It is belived that the incidnet is connected to the re-publishing of the caricatures of the prophet Mohammed in France.  The police is investigating and surveilling the area.

March for Life Interrupted by Counter-Demonstrators Insulting and Stereotyping Christians

October 17, 2020, Austria

On October 17th, counter-demonstrators interrupted the March for Life in Vienna by blocking streets, which led to serval changes of the originally planned route. The counter-demonstrators also verbally and physically insulted the participants of the march with vulgar expressions and gestures. They also held up highly insulting banners like:"If Mary would have aborted, we would have been spared of you." Additionally, the counter-demonstrators held up flags against homophobia, stereotyping Christians as homophobic, despite the fact that the march was not about LGBTQ+ issues but the protection of the unborn life.

Singer of March for Life Physically Attacked and Robbed

October 17, 2020, Austria

The singer Vero, a young Christian women, who sang at the March for Life in Vienna on October 17th, was physically attacked after her performance on stage. On her way home she went to pick up her bicycle and was harassed by two female antifa activists, who grabbed her bicycle and tried to steal it from her, the two perpetrators also kicked the singer's leg. They finally stole the bicycle, after a loud outcry to the surrounding police officers the two activists were caught and charged with theft and physical violence. The police has indicated that the prosecutor will bring this case forward, as a hate crime.

Urination and Communist Paroles Scrawled on Church Wall in Vienna

September 25, 2020, Austria

The St. Johann Evangelist Church, situated on Keplerplatz in the 10th district of Vienna, has been soiled by what appears to be urination, Austrian newspaper Heute reports on September 25. The unknown perpetrators left a communist message, including the hammer-and-sickle-symbol, on the church wall. The message reads "130 years of May 1st, long live the red flag of the communist party!"

Islamist Attacker Targeted President of The Synagogue, LGBT Association, and Church in Graz

August 22, 2020, Austria

On August 22nd, a 31-year-old man from Syria with Islamist motivations violently attacked the president of the Jewish community in Graz, Elie Rosen, with the leg of a chair. Following his capture, he also admitted vandalism attacks on the synagogue, the facilities of LGBT association RosaLila PantherInnen, and a brothel. He is responsible for smearing several walls in Graz with pro-Palestinian paroles and symbols and spraying symbols on a church. The Austrian media reported that the motives were anti-Semitism, homophobia, and rejection of Austrian society, but did not mention that his anti-Christian motives.

Fires Set in Tyrol Church; Witnesses Sought by Police

July 23, 2020, Austria

Would-be arsonists started a fire in the parish church in Waidring (Kitzbühel district) on July 23rd. According to police, between 12 p.m. and 5 p.m., unknown perpetrators distributed and lit several matchboxes, matches, and candles on the church pews. In addition, they tried to set fire to a hymn book, presumably using matches. Around 5:15 p.m., a witness noticed the smell of fire in the church, but the fire had already gone out. There was a similar incident on Monday, July 20th: according to investigators, burning ignition wicks had been placed on the kneelers of the church pews.

Church in Linz Receives Threats and Personal Harassment after Media Coverage about alleged COVID-19 Outbreak in "Free Churches"

July 11, 2020, Austria

A birthday party amongst members of the Romanian free church "Pfingstgemeinde Himmelstor" was reported to be the source of a COVID-19 outbreak cluster consisting of 234 infected people. The free church Christ Apostolic Church International (CACI) rented their church building in Linz to the Romanian church and after the media reported about the incident and disclosed the address of the venue, CACI received public harassment on the streets and threatening emails. In contrast to the other free church community, CACI did not have any cases of COVID-19 and followed the official government guidelines, as it is member of the officially state recognised society of free churches in Austria, whose other members did not report any positive COVID-19 cases either.

Monstrance with Relic of Saint Leopold Stolen from Pilgrimage Church Maria Lanzendorf

July 5, 2020, Austria

Intruders stole a monstrance with a relic of St. Leopold III, the patron saint of Lower Austria, from the pilgrimage church Maria Lanzendorf, along with a second relic monstrance, as well as other liturgical objects such as chalices and incense boats. According to police reports, the crime was committed during the night of July 5th.

Catholic Seminary Defaced During "Black Lives Matter Vienna" Rally

June 5, 2020, Austria

A "Black Lives Matter Vienna" protest on June 5th led to anti-church demonstrations and vandalism at a seminary near the US embassy in Vienna-Alsergrund, according to the seminary director. The outer wall was extensively smeared with graffiti and defaced, and he reported the resulting financial damage to the police.

Theft in the Cathedral of Wiener Neustadt

May 15, 2020, Austria

On the first day that the nationwide COVID-19 lockdown was lifted, unknown perpetrators gained access to the Cathedral of Wiener Neustadt on May 15th. They stole a statue known as the "Prager Jesulein," a Jesus statue with a golden crown from 1750, from the Trinity Altar. They then went on to the Mariazeller Altar on the opposite side and stole two crowns from a statue of Mary and Jesus. Both statues were placed inside of glass showcases. The theft did not cause much monetary loss, as the crowns were cheap replicas, but rather a cultural loss. This was not the first theft the church had to endure.

Salzburg Catholic Organization Targeted with "Pro Choice" Vandalism

May 5, 2020, Austria

The cars belonging to the Catholic initiative, HOME Mission Base Salzburg, were sprayed with "Pro Choice" and the windows were smashed by unknown vandals.

Crimes Against Churches in Austria

May 2, 2020, Austria

The recent attack in December to Church St. Andrä in Graz brought questions about the hostility towards churches in Austria. The Minister of the Interior, Karl Nehammer, affirmed that between 2015 to 2019, 4657 crimes have been committed against religious buildings in Austria. In Styria alone, there have been 608 cases of attacks against churches.

Several Acts of Thefts and Vandalism of Churches across Austria

April 20, 2020, Austria

Several acts of thefts and vandalism of churches have occurred across Austria

Attempted Arson and Vandalism at Christchurch in Graz-Eggenberg

April 8, 2020, Austria

An unknown perpetrator smashed the window of Christ Church in Graz with a stone and then set newspapers on fire and threw them inside the church through the smashed window. Fortunately, the burning newspapers did not cause a fire inside the church. Witnesses saw the incident and reported it to the police, who asked for help in finding the perpetrator.

Religious Discrimination against Christian Seniors Group by Innsbruck's Social Services

March 4, 2020, Austria

A seniors group of Christians from recognised religious communities such as the Catholic Church, the Protestant Church and the Free Churches in Austria (FKÖ) is no longer allowed to use the tax-financed community centre after several years of use. In an e-mail from ISD (Innsbrucker Soziale Dienste), the Christian seniors group was informed that "prayers, devotions, hymns of praise, Bible readings or the like" are no longer permitted in the ISD Community Centre in Wilten with immediate effect. Representatives of political parties and Tyrollean citizens are protesting against this decision accusing of violating religious freedom.

Desecration Of Theresienfeld Church

February 29, 2020, Austria

On Saturday 29th, all candles in the church of Theresienfeld were found lit, the altar was covered in food remains, and cigarettes and paper was burned at the entrance of the church. The park bench at the nearby bus stop was also set on fire.

Thieves Violently Broke the Offertory Box in St.Magarethen

February 21, 2020, Austria

On 21 February, unknown perpetrators used physical force in order to break the door to the sacristy in a church in St. Margarethen near Wolfsberg. Afterwards they tried to break open the sacrificial offerings box of the candle sacrifice. Their attempt was unsuccessful but caused property damage of currently unknown amount. Probably the same perpetrators tried to break open two offering boxes in a church in the district of Völkermarkt in Wolfsberg. Investigations are being conducted in this regard.

Thieves Violently Broke the Offertory Box in St.Kanzian

February 19, 2020, Austria

In the night of February 19th 2020 to February 20th, unknown perpetrators violently broke open the outer door to the sacristy of the parish church in St. Kanzian. They tore the offertory box violently from the wall anchorage and tried to break it open, but this was not successful. Afterwards they left the church without any stolen goods.

Satanic Symbol Painted on Church Wall in Innsbruck

February 4, 2020, Austria

On the night between 3 and 4 February, the wall of the church Petrus Canisius in Innsbruck was smeared with graffiti by an unknown person, showing a symbol of the "Church of Satan". The police is asking the public for useful information to identify the perpetrator.

Report on Theft and Vandalism in Austrian Churches

December 5, 2019, Austria

Crucifixes and a fountain from a chapel in Alpbach. A gilded statue of the Virgin Mary from the parish church in Kufstein. A baroque monstrance from a church in Pfaffstätten, host bowls in Biedermannsdorf -- these are just a few examples of sacred art objects that were stolen from Austrian churches in 2019.

Locals Outraged by Theft of Christkind Figure from Vienna Christmas Market

November 26, 2019, Austria

The Christkind (Christ child) figure was stolen twice in three days from the Christkindlmarkt (Christmas market) on Enkplatz in Vienna. The original figure was replaced after the first theft. The replacement was then stolen. Now it has been replaced, at least temporarily, with a wooden stake with a woolen cap on top. Locals expressed outrage at the thefts and the priest of the adjacent church offered to receive the figure "discreetly" from anyone who wished to return it.

A Statue of The Christ Child Stolen Twice

November 26, 2019, Austria

On the 26th of November, the Baby Jesus of the Nativity Scene was reported to be stolen twice. The leader of the 11th District, Paul Stadler, promised to restore a Statue before Christmas. There was no trace of the stolen figures. The Father from the neighbouring parish offered the thieves to give back the statues anonymously in front of the church and to confess if they are interested.

Evangelical Event Attendees Harshly Ridiculed

June 17, 2019, Austria

Many Christians complained about being offended and insulted for their religious faith after verbal attacks by Rudi Fußi on the Austrian talkshow "Fellner! Live: Rudi Fußi vs. Andreas Mölzer" which aired on June 17th on OE24.TV. As a guest on the program, Fußi launched into a tirade calling the estimated 10,000 Christians gathered at an evangelical event “lunatics” and mocking the act of praying for the Republic of Austria and the former Chancellor Sebastian Kurz, calling it "completely cuckoo, totally sick" after the show host had introduced the topic.

Arson in Vienna Church; Tourist Extinguished Fire with Holy Water

June 12, 2019, Austria

A tourist discovered that fires had been set in confessionals in the Dominican church of St. Rotunda during the afternoon of June 12th and extinguished them with holy water. This incident was announced on June 19th, the same day as a series of arson attacks in Graz, including at the city hall, courthouse, district administration building, and the main station. A 45-year-old Iraqi was arrested by police after the fire at the station.

Two Thefts from Vienna Churches

May 27, 2019, Austria

Witnesses called the police from two different churches in Vienna (Michaelerplatz and Florianigasse) to report thefts from the offertory box in the middle of the day on May 27th. Both suspects were arrested while they were still in and around the church buildings. The police found coins in double-digit total value on each of the perpetrators.

Sacred Objects and Keys Stolen from Mödling Church

April 13, 2019, Austria

Unknown perpetrators stole a chalice, two ciboria, and a monstrance from the tabernacle, as well as all the keys in the sacristy from the parish church in Biedermannsdorf (district of Mödling) on ​​the evening of April 13th.

Priest Calls Church Rampage "Spiritual Anarchism"

March 23, 2019, Austria

Unknown perpetrators entered the parish church in Leoben sometime between 11am and 2pm on March 23rd and urinated on the altar, dumped out holy water, rearranged candlesticks and pews, tore the wiring for the sound system out of the wall, draped the pew cushions on top of the altar and laid the cordons on top of them. Fifty tea lights which had been placed next to a statue of the Virgin Mary were stolen and thrown into an empty fountain 100 meters from the church.

Public Crucifix Vandalized in Carinthia

March 2, 2019, Austria

An arm from the Christ figure in a countryside crucifix was broken off by unknown vandals. Police are investigating.

Two Telephone Bomb Threats against Vienna Cathedral in a Week

December 29, 2018, Austria

St. Stephen's Cathedral had to be evacuated twice in one week after anonymous telephone bomb threats by were received.

Monks Brutally Attacked during Robbery

December 27, 2018, Austria

Six monks were attacked, gagged, and bound during the course of a robbery at the monastery of Maria Immaculata in Vienna on December 27th. Several of the victims were seriously injured and police began a large-scale investigation.

Perpetrator Confesses to Arson of Evangelical Church

September 15, 2018, Austria

A 58 year old man confessed to setting a fire that heavily damaged the Johanneskirche am Lendkanal on September 15th. The altar cross, a gift of British soldiers and of great sentimental value, was missing after the fire but later found near the church.