Vandalism of Nativity Scene in Tavarede
On the night of 9 December, a major act of vandalism took place in Tavarede, including the destruction of a nativity scene and a Christmas tree in Tavarede's church square. Other Christmas decorations in public streets were also vandalised. There was also an attempted break-in at a nearby mortuary, which the mayor believes may have been used to gain access to the church to steal and cause further damage.
To quote the mayor, Fernando Lopes: "All the statues were destroyed. They stole all the lights. The Christmas tree was also destroyed, they cut it down strand by strand. They destroyed everything that had anything to do with Christmas. For the people who live in the oldest part of Tavarede, this [the nativity scene] has great meaning. It was a lack of respect for all the people who live here, who take a weekend every year to build the nativity scene. It was an affront. The crib is priceless, because it was made by very kind people from Tavarede, who volunteered their time and joy to offer it to the community".
The damage to the Christmas tree alone amounts to more than 2000 euros. However, the damage to the crib, which had an emotional value, was more outrageous.
Source: Diario as beiras
Image: AI generated (picture used for representative purposes)