All cases
Perpetrators Vandalize German Church: Bible Pages Torn Up
July 7, 2023, GermanyIn the afternoon of the 7th of July, 2023, the Liebfrauenkirche in Waldshut-Tiengen was found vandalised: the Bible was torn and the Easter candle was damaged. It was used to hit the piano, which damaged the paintwork. The police have started an investigation.
Man tries to stab priest during mass
July 7, 2023, SpainA middle-aged man assaulted a priest who was distributing communion during mass in the Cathedral of Santiago. He tried to stab him in the neck with a sharp object and punched him with a fist.
Priest attacked while giving communion in Santiago Cathedral
July 7, 2023, SpainOn 7 July 2023, a Catholic priest was attacked while giving communion in Santiago de Compostela’s Cathedral.
Two Churches Desecrated in France And Religious Items Stolen
July 5, 2023, FranceThe Saint-Martin Church in Avallon was found vandalised on the 5th of July, 2023. The tabernacle which contains the consecrated hosts was damaged and a monstrance and two ciboria (chalices which contain the hosts) were stolen. This is not the first incident of its kind in Avallon: on June 28th, the St-Lazare church was targeted and a pyx containing hosts was stolen. Two complaints have been filed.
Hateful Grafitti Damages Church in Germany
July 5, 2023, GermanyUnknown vandals smeared the walls of a church in Kirchberg, Böbingen an der Rems, with unreadable graffiti and two Nazi swastikas. The damage was found on the 7th of July, the police are still searching for witnesses.
High Court Reinstates Christian Governor Dismissed for Questioning School's Sex-Education Policy
July 5, 2023, United KingdomA Christian governor and mother who was dismissed for raising concerns with the trans-affirming sex-education policy at her children's primary school has been reinstated by the High Court. The mother, who was granted anonymity by the Court in order to protect her children, reached a legal settlement with the school after being kicked off its Governing Body for pointing to legal errors in its Relationships and Sex Education (RSE) policy. She first raised her concerns with fellow governors in March 2021. She pointed out that the Gateshead School's RSE policy could be unlawful, and shortly later, she was accused by the school managers of opposing their "collective decision." She was removed as governor in June 2022. The High Court recognized that the decision to remove her was unlawful and she was reinstated in August 2023.
Statue vandalised in Rabastens Church
July 5, 2023, FranceOn July 5, a statue of Mary was found vandalised in the Notre-Dame-du-Bourg Church in Rabastens. The statue has been sprayed with red paint. According to France 3, a local resident criticised the lack of reaction from the town's mayor.
Arson to Church Damages Altar in France
July 4, 2023, FranceIn the early morning of July 4th 2023, a man set fire to the altar of the church Notre Dame de Kerdro in Locmariaquer, France. The fire was quickly brought under control by firefighters and only damaged the altar and some religious furniture. A complaint was filed to the police who arrested a 35-year-old man in connection to the fire. The man is set to be brought before the court in November.
Arson attack on Church in Colle Cannuccio
July 4, 2023, ItalyOn July 4, the door of the Church of the Holy Trinity in Colle Cannuccio, Italy, was splattered with gasoline and lit on fire. Luckily, the fire did not spread and only the door was damaged as a result. Blasphemous writings and swear words were also painted on the parking lot.
Statues of Jesus and Mary decapitated in Viennese Park
July 3, 2023, AustriaImages 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.