All cases

Tags and Graffiti on Church in Piozzo

April 28, 2022, Italy

On the night of April 28th, a sentence was written in red paint on the Parish Church of Santo Stefano in Piozzo. It read: "The Nazis create poverty to take away freedom." The perpetrator(s) remain(s) unknown.

Glindenberg Church Devastated by Vandals

April 28, 2022, Germany

The St. Nikolai Church of Glindenberg was devastated on April 28th and had to be closed as a result. The inside of the church was devastated: the altar cross was torn off as well hymn books were left in the streets with their pages torn out. The police were looking for the perpetrators.

Satanic Graffiti and Desecration in Graz Church

April 28, 2022, Austria

Satanic graffiti appeared in the St. Vincent church in Graz on the 28th of April. The word Satan, upside-down crosses, and the Antichrist number 666 were painted with red spray paint on the walls and altar of the church. The vandals also sprayed an angel's face red and burnt a bible. The Priest, Wolfgang Pucher commented, "It's just unbelievable."

Jesus and Saint Statues Broken and Chapel Vandalized

April 28, 2022, Poland

A chapel near the village of Pokrzywna was the victim of a vandalistic attack that left a statue of Christ ruined. In the past years, this statue has been targeted, but on the 28th of April, both its legs were broken off just below the knee. A statue of Mother Biska was also torn out and thrown into a stream and a small piggy bank was stolen. The crime was reported to the police but due to the absence of security cameras, the perpetrators may be difficult to identify.

Ireland: Couple to go to Jail for Attending Mass During Lockdown

April 28, 2022, Ireland

Jim Ryan (64), and his wife Ann (59), were both fined €300 for travelling 70km to a Mass on Easter Sunday when there was a 5km limit for non essential travel during lockdown. They have since appealed their sentence but have also said they will go to jail rather then pay. Jim told the Sunday World "I have no intention of paying them a fine for me going to Mass - for doing what I have done my whole life."

Valuable Items Stolen from Church in Villach

April 28, 2022, Austria

During the night of May 28th, unknown perpetrators entered the Heiligenkreuzkirche in Villach and stole several items. They took gold-plated candlesticks, the quantity of which was not yet known, as well as a gold-plated lamp. An investigation was started and the amount of damage was still being quantified.

Man Steals from Three Churches in Wasilków and Zabłudów

April 27, 2022, Poland

The police received several reports in the last weeks of April, of thefts from churches in Wasilków and Zabłudów. In the incidents, the perpetrator had pulled the piggy bank off off the wall of one church and and in the other one, he broke the door off the money box and took around 4000 PLN. He then tried again in the church of Sokólski but the police caught the 37 year old who could be facing up to 10 years in prison.

Church in Zweibruecken Defaced with Obscene Tags

April 27, 2022, Germany

A 22-year-old man graffitied the facade of the Alexander Church in Zweibruecken on April 27th with obscene symbols. He tried to escape but the police were quickly alerted to the act, which happened around 19:30 and the man was arrested. He will have to pay around $500 for this crime.

Windows of Church in Albersdorf Broken

April 27, 2022, Germany

On April 27th, it was discovered that three of the windows on the Remigius Church in Albersdorf were damaged by thrown stones. Two had holes in them and one was cracked with the damage amounting to around 3,000 euros. There were no leads to the perpetrators and the police were looking for witnesses.

Scottish Ministers Criticized for Seeking Dialogue Between Pro-life and Pro-Choice Groups

April 27, 2022, United Kingdom

Scottish 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."