All cases
Evangelical Church in Marseille Severely Vandalised
August 5, 2021, FranceThe Vie et Lumière (Life and Light) evangelical church in Marseille, which is a member of the Evangelical Mission of the Romani of France, was recently vandalised. The church had placed a marquee on their rented space, which has been completely destroyed. A member of the community discovered the burned Bibles, the broken furniture and the broken marquee, which was lacerated with a cutter on the evening of August 4, 2021. That person also informed the police about the vandalism, who are currently investigating.
Church Vandal Caught by Police in Baranówek
August 5, 2021, PolandPolice apprehended a 36-year-old man who is the main suspect in a case of vandalism of a church in Baranówek. The man is thought to have painted offensive inscriptions on the wall of Christ the King Church in Baranówek. The incident dates back to early July. Police could point two other offences to the man who is now facing a prison charge of up to five years.
Update: Police Confirms Ansgarii Church Was Deliberately Set on Fire
August 5, 2021, SwedenSwedish police confirmed the fire in the Ansgarii church was caused by arson. In course of theirs investigations, the police found petrol cans, which were used to start the fire. This is not the first church burned down in the local area. Residents and the local community are now urging the Swedish Government to better protect places of worship. The police are still looking for the perpetrator.
Clergy Personal Threatened with Death and the Basilica Robbed
August 5, 2021, FranceOn 3rd July 2021, the Notre-Dame Basilica in Nice witnessed a robbery attempt by a homeless man. He intended to steal a fifty kilo trunk and threatened the faithful as well as the priest with death. He shouted: "I'll come back and kill you all". In October 2020, the church has witnessed Islamic attack. A Tunisian migrant threated to slit the throats of three people in the church. He was sentenced to 17 months in prison for the attempted robbery and the threats.
Man Targets Churches for Thefts
August 5, 2021, PolandFootage from a surveillance camera allowed police to identify a man who robbed the offertory box money from the parish of the Elevation of the Holy Cross and Our Lady of the Healing of the Sick in Katowice. The incident took place on 5th of August. Sergeant Łukasz Kloc from the city police confirms that they are currently searching for the individual's whereabouts. At this point of the investigation, police released an image of the perpetrator asking the public for help.
Christian Buildings in Bratislava Tagged with Insults
August 5, 2021, SlovakiaOn August 5th, churches and monasteries in the historic city center of Bratislava, were tagged with insults written in red such as “God is Trans”, “Queer revolution is coming”, “and “Queer power." The cost of the damage was considerable and the religious community was very affected. The camera system that is in place was used to try and identify who committed the act.
Saint Mary Magdalene's Church in Caldecote Vandalized a Second Time Only a Week Later
August 4, 2021, United KingdomLess than a week after the Saint Mary Magdalene's Church in Caldecote suffered a thousand pound's worth of damage, it had been vandalised again. The Church, which had recently re-opened after several months of renovation had first been vandalised on 29 July, the second attack followed a couple of days later. Volunteers found several windows were broken and a door seemed to have been forced open. Police are investigating.
Update: Suspect in Desecration of Virgin Mary Statue to Face Charges
August 4, 2021, PolandA 50-year-old woman is currently held as the main suspect in the case of desecration and vandalism of a Virgin Mary Statue in Poland. The woman is accused of having stolen a gold-plated crown from a statue in a church in Kościerzyna, Wielu, worth PLN 1,000 (€219). She was charged with theft and is now facing a prison sentence of up to five years. The incident happened on July 8, 2021. The 50-year-old pleaded guilty to the charges raised against her.
Sanctuary Set on Fire in Marsala
August 4, 2021, ItalyUnknown perpetrator set the sanctuary of Our Lady of Fatima in Marsala on fire. The incident happened on 4 August, at around 5.30 p.m. Although the fire brigade prevented much damage, the church suffered partial damage to its altar, the gospel book and other furnishings. The police were informed and are now looking for the perpetrator, who was seen fleeing the scene.
Thieves Steal over €3.000 from Presbytery
August 4, 2021, FrancePolice arrested three suspects in a case of church theft. The three individuals are accused of breaking into the presbytery of the church of Ligueuil in Touraine on the 27 July. They are said to have searched the premises and escaped with €3.870 in cash. Parish priest Father Rémy Soubrier explained this is the third robbery of this kind.