All cases
Explosives used to steals thousands of pounds of sacred silver
April 14, 2023, United KingdomTens of thousands of pounds worth of chalices and sacred items have been stolen from the Lady Saint Mary's Church in Wareham after thefts broke into the church and blew up the safe on April 14. Explosives were used for the break-in and at least 25 pieces of communion silver, including a 450-year-old Elizabethan chalice worth 30,000 pounds, were stolen. The police suspects this gang of thieves has been targeting churches across the UK.
30 Gravestones Vandalized In Church Cemetery near London
April 12, 2023, United KingdomOver three nights on April 12, 13, and 14, in Croydon, thirty gravestones have been destroyed with a sledgehammer - some graves were dating back 500 years, at a Grade I listed church. «The church is appealing for witnesses along with police who are trying to find out who took a sledgehammer to the graves. »
Valuable Silver Sacred Objects stolen from a Rural Church
March 19, 2023, United KingdomOn the night of March 19th, burglars stole valuable silver items in a church from a rural parish in East Devon in Sidmouth. The police are looking for witnesses. On Twitter, pictures show that the objects were chalices, host holders and other tools for the celebration of Mass.
GOOD NEWS: England & Wales Police must defend freedom of expression even if controversial
March 13, 2023, United KingdomA new code of practice on Non-Crime Hate Incidents (NCHI) introduced to UK Parliament in March clarifyies that simply causing offence is not enough to justify the police including someone's personal information in an NCHI. This comes in opposition to previous NCHI measures that unlawfully interfered with free speech. For example when the Police logged the personal details of a person in a NCHI record after receiving a complaint about a ‘transphobic’ tweet. This user, Harry Miller, appealed and won the case.
Church in Witham Severely Damaged from Lead Theft
March 10, 2023, United KingdomOn March 10, large amount of lead was taken from the roof of St. Nicolas' Church in Witham. Shortly after 1 AM the police were called to the church. It was reported that three men were seen removing the lead and quickly fled the area. The lead had been removed from the roof but was left behind at the scene. The crime resulted in a large amount of damage caused to the interior of the church because of overnight rainwater.
Britain’s largest Scout girls’ organisation told to stop singing to God in new ‘inclusive’ campfire songs
March 10, 2023, United KingdomAs reported by The Telegraph and the Christian Institute, Girlguiding, the UK's national guiding organisation for girls, has come under pressure and criticism after it published a blog post in which the organization argued that in order to make some of its traditional songs "inclusive for everyone," they need be changed to remove "references that have been hurtful to people." Using as an example a song in which references to God were removed.
Bells Worth £8,000 Stolen from Wragby Church
March 8, 2023, United KingdomUnkown offenders entered All Saints Church in Wragby and stole eight brass handheld bells, worth around £8,000 in total. The theft occurred between March 1 and March 8. The police are investigating the situation.
"Buffer Zones" Clause in England and Wales Criminalize Silent Prayer or "Influence" Around Abortion Clinics
March 7, 2023, United KingdomOn March 7, the House of Commons voted to comprehensively introduce buffer zones around abortion clinics to the Public Order Bill for the final time. The clause to the bill was approved by a majority of 299 MPs in favor to 116 against. Now that the Public Order Bill is set to become law, any form of "influence" around abortion clinics will be criminalised, including silent prayer or consensual conversations, de facto making "thought crime" a reality in the UK. Experts have commented that while harassment and intimidation are already illegal, this law would be a serious attack on freedom of speech and freedom of thought.
Theft of Lead Roof from Church in Bath
March 5, 2023, United KingdomIn early March the lead from the roof of St. Michaels Church in Bath was stolen. This is the latest of a series of lead thefts since December 2022. Due to leaking roofs as a consequence of the theft, services were interrupted. Police has started an investigation.
Ancient Silverware Burgled from Historic North Yorkshire Church
March 1, 2023, United KingdomBurglars have stolen silverware dating from the 18th century from St. Margaret's Church in Hawes, North Yorkshire. Rev. Dave Clark said the church was broken into in the early hours of March 1. The church's oak door was damaged and silverware was stolen. Rev. Clark said: "An Oak door from the original construction and surrounding stonework were damaged and now need replacing, but more upsetting is that a significant quantity of silverware with particular historic attachment to Hawes was stolen." The police investigated the scene, including searching for prints and evidence.