All cases
Theft of Memorial statue from All Saints Church graveyard
May 20, 2022, United KingdomBetween the 16th and 20th May the memorial statue from the All Saints Graveyard was stolen in Glazebury. The police reported that the family that owned the memorial statue was deeply affected and were looking for witnesses.
Suspected Youth Arrested for Arson at Newtown Church
May 19, 2022, United KingdomAfter a fire broke out in one room of the Evangelical Church in Newton, the police arrested one a young suspect. The fire happened on Thursday 19th of May, it was confined to one room and burned a sofa and a chair. The Dyfed-Powys Police commented: “Police are working closely with the church and that there will be a police presence at the site in the short term, with patrols increased in the area beyond that.” The police have arrested a young vandal on suspicion of arson.
Cross and Candlestick Stolen from Church in Addington
May 10, 2022, United KingdomA cross and candlestick were stolen from the medieval church of St. Mary in Addington on the 10th of May. Reverend Debbie Forman said that the items have "little intrinsic value" but the church is "not the same without them." The church remained open and the hope was that the thief, who was not known, would return them.
Church in Rotherham Trashed by Illegal Party
May 10, 2022, United KingdomOn May 10th, vandals broke into the Rotherham Church and trashed the interior. They drank wine and left broken bottles everywhere as well as destroying the church-run nursery which is used to help single mothers with childcare. The incident forced the nursery to close for a week.
Relic containing the blood of a Polish priest was stolen from a church
May 9, 2022, United KingdomThe St. Nicholas Church in Boston was the victim of a burglary on the night between the 9th and 10th of May. One of the stolen items was the reliquary containing the blood of Jerzy Popieluszko, a Polish priest who was beatified by the Roman Catholic Church in 2009. The police are investigating.
Anglican Chapel Severly Vandalised and Mocked
May 8, 2022, United KingdomSt. Mary's church near Saxton, Yorkshire, which is an important listed building, was vandalized by anonymous intruders on May 8th. A volunteer group that takes care of the chapel wrote on Facebook: "A sickening sight this morning...litter, smashed vases, glass everywhere, and worst of all the crosses broken too. To add insult to injury, a note of apology with a fake phone number," was also left there. The chapel stands in an isolated field and has often been a place of refuge.
Parental Consent Not Needed for Children Under 16 Years Old to Take Puberty Blockers
May 6, 2022, United KingdomOn the 6th of May, the Supreme Court of the UK declined to take the Bell v Tavistock case, regarding puberty blockers for teenagers under 16 years old, which means the ruling by the Court of Appeals will currently stand. After the High Court ruled that 13-year-olds were not old enough and needed parental consent to begin hormone blockers; Tavistock appealed in June of 2021 and the Court of Appeals ruled that it was not the High Court's decision to make. Instead, they ruled that parental consent was unnecessary and that clinicians could decide it with their patients. This is a significant concern for Christian parents who would disagree with such treatment.
Vandalism and Arson at St. Nicholas Church
April 29, 2022, United KingdomThe St. Nicholas Church in Swallow was targeted by vandalism on April 29th. Unknown perpetrators, possibly youth, took two picnic benches from the church to a park, set fire to one, and painted the other with obscene language and initials. The church was quite disappointed by the act especially since it took time to repair the damage.
Scottish Ministers Criticized for Seeking Dialogue Between Pro-life and Pro-Choice Groups
April 27, 2022, United KingdomScottish ministers said they plan to explore options of mediation with pro-life activists regarding "buffer zones" around abortion clinics. According to minutes from an abortion "buffer zone" meeting in February, the Centre for Good Relations asked for engagement “with all interested parties, not just those who are directly involved with the conflict itself." The ministers were criticized for their plan which aims to understand “the issues and perspective from all sides."
Church Windows in Newtown Smashed
April 25, 2022, United KingdomThe windows of the St. David's Church in Newtown were smashed by vandals on April 25th. It was not known who did the act and someone who was closely affiliated with the church said it was "absolutely disgusting to see yet again," which implies that vandalism similar to this has already occurred.
Flag Ripped Down from Church in Bellshill
April 23, 2022, United KingdomA Union Jack, put up to celebrate the Queens Platinum Jubilee, was torn down from the St. Andrew's Free Church in Bellshill. Reverend Jason Lingiah, has labelled the attack an "anti-Protestant sectarian hate crime." The flag was thrown near the wall and left, while the pole was bent.
Insults and Vandalism in Magherafelt Church
April 23, 2022, United KingdomThree teenagers entered the Magherafelt Catholic church on the 23rd of April and, after verbally insulting the priest, damaged several objects. Officers then arrested three suspects aged 11, 13, and 15, for a number of charges including criminal damage, as they smashed a vase, threw the Bible and other holy books around, and damaged a microphone. They appeared in court, for what the police called a hate crime, and two of them were banned from entering the Magherafelt area while the third still awaits trial.
£20,000 Theft from Church in Cambridgeshire
April 23, 2022, United KingdomTwo large bass instruments and a euphonium were stolen from the St. Peters Church in Cambridgeshire on April 23rd. The instruments are worth around £20,000 so it was a significant loss for the church especially since it was not covered by insurance. The Cambridgeshire Constabulary were investigating the crime and needed more information.
Teenagers Vandalise St. Helen's Church in Cliffe
April 18, 2022, United KingdomTeenager, thought to be between 11 and 12 years old, broke 7 stained glass windows in St. Helen's church in Cliffe and damaged several roof tiles around the 18 of April. The cost of the damage was extensive and could be in the thousands since the kind of roof tile used was particularly expensive. The children's parents said the actions were "inexcusable" and some even made them apologize to the churchwarden.
Repeated Vandalism to Hartlepool Church
April 15, 2022, United KingdomOver four consecutive nights, ending on April 15th, vandals have visited the St Patrick’s Church in Hartlepool and caused thousand of pounds of damage. They broke around a dozen stained glass windows and left the inside fo the church covered with masonry ruble.
Windows in Shrewsbury Church Smashed During Service
April 15, 2022, United KingdomDuring an evensong service in the Shrewsbury church of St. Chad's, vandals smashed the stained glass widows of the church causing £8,000 in damage, and endangered those inside. The incident happened on the 15th of May at a church which often holds large events. Church warden Joanna Hepper said: "This was extremely upsetting for the congregation and could have caused injury."
76-year-old Grandmother Arrested for Praying Outside during Lockdown
April 13, 2022, United Kingdom76-year-old Rosa Lalor was arrested on February 24th, 2021 as she did not have a "reasonable excuse" to be outside at the time. This was despite her explaining to the police officer that she was "walking and praying," and daily exercise was allowed. The officer accused her of not praying in a house of worship and fined her £200 after detaining her in a police car. She challenged this fine and has taken it to court with the help of ADF UK.
DIY Abortion Pills Violate Parental Rights in England
April 5, 2022, United KingdomNew DIY abortion laws in the UK, allow for women to have an abortion without seeing a medical professional; but, by simple talking, and then ordering pills over the phone. This raised serious concern for the health of women and the possibility for minors to abort without properly consulting a professional or their parents before starting something that could traumatize their lives. Parental rights are violated in this case, which is especially problematic for Christian parents who would not agree with their child taking such actions.
All Saints Church in Holbeach Vandalised
April 5, 2022, United KingdomYouth have been asked to show more respect to the All Saints Church in Holbeach, after they tore lead off its roof and threw marrows at its doors on April 5th. This was the second time this has happened in a month and the acts forced Mick Boylan, the church warden, to consider reducing the hours the church is open to hopefully prevent the crime. He said "They don’t have respect for anything. What do the parents think they are doing?”
2 Churches Vandalized in Sprowston
April 3, 2022, United KingdomSt. Mary and St. Margaret's Church in Sprowston were victims of vandalistic attacks on April 3rd. Police were investigating the act in which the intruders threw toys at the spotlight in the nave, broke eggs inside the building, smashed the organ, and tried to start a fire.