Church in Granada vandalised and set on fire
On 17 August 2025, a 21-year-old man broke into the Church of Santiago Apóstol in El Pozuelo, Albuñol (Granada), smashing a stained glass window with a hammer. He then proceeded to destroy religious artefacts and set fire to items belonging to the church before locking himself inside.
Emergency services, including the Civil Guard and Motril Fire Brigade, responded swiftly and extinguished the flames by 5:00 p.m., though significant damage had already been done. Part of the church was completely burned.
The 21-year-old suspect of Maroccan origin was described as “nervous” and “out of his mind,” by some parishionners.
The Archbishopric of Granada issued a strong condemnation, stating the act “seriously attacked the most sacred of Christian worship and the religious feelings of the majority of its inhabitants.” They expressed gratitude to those who intervened and called on the faithful to pray for peace and reconciliation.
For its part, the Union of Islamic Communities of Andalusia (UCIDAN) has expressed its ‘strongest condemnation’ of this attack: ‘We wish to emphasise that this criminal act is totally contrary to human and Islamic values, as well as to the principles of mutual respect between religions,’ they stated in a press release. The organisation stressed that ‘this is an isolated act that in no way represents the Muslim community in Andalusia.’
Photo: X (video screenshot)