All cases

Severe Vandalism and Arson Of A Church In Germany

January 22, 2021, Germany

The interior of the Protestant Christ church in Radolfzell was heavily vandalized on January 22nd. The organ bench, the conductor's platform and a wrought-iron door were thrown from the gallery into the church hall. Parts of the sacristy and the kitchen in the parish hall were also destroyed. In addition, there was a fire set in the area of the lighting system, which the fire fighters were able to extinguish. The church had been cleared out due to renovation works and the front door had been left open so that people could say goodbye to the church in it's old form, the pastor explained. The 63-year-old perpetrator was arrested on the spot. The police started investigations for suspected arson and vandalism.

Perpetrators Severely Damaged A 300 Years Old Fresco At The St. Nicholas Cathedral in Ljubljana

January 22, 2021, Slovenia

Unknown perpetrators damaged a 300 years old fresco at the Cathedral of St. Nicholas in Ljubljana. The damage caused by balloons filled with colours amounts to several thousand euros. The incident happened on the evening of January 22nd. The police are investigating, should the vandals be caught they could face up to eight years in prison. The spokesman of the Episcopal Conference, Dr Tadej Jakopič, explains that the fresco was painted in the second half of the 18th century by Julius Quaglio and restored by Janez Wolf in 1872.

100 Years Old Polish Chapel Destroyed By Vandals

January 21, 2021, Poland

On January 21st, vandals destroyed an over 100-year-old chapel in Otwock. The statue of the Virgin Mary was torn off and stolen. Thanks to the efforts of some residents the chapel was renovated and a new statue bought. Because the owners of the chapel are unknown, the police did not take up any investigations.

Arson Attack On Church in Spånga

January 20, 2021, Sweden

On January the 20th, unknown perpetrators threw three Molotov cocktails at the church in Spånga. Windows were smashed, the entrance was damaged but no person was harmed during the attack. Pastor Jerker Alsterlund said, "We have no threat against us but it is a strong symbolic act." The police have cordoned off the area and are investigating for arson. Four days later on January 24th a second arson took place. A window was broken and a small fire with some smoke development was detected by a security company. The incident is currently classified as arson and the police is investigating whether there is a connection between the two attacks.

Sacred Items Stolen from Parish in El Chorrillo Neighborhood

January 20, 2021, Spain

Anonymous intruders broke into the San Juan de Ávila parish in the neighbourhood of El Chorrillo, on January 20th. They stole the tabernacle and in their haste to leave, dropped a number of ecclesiastical items belonging to the tabernacle in the surrounding area. A complaint was filed with the police. The newspaper reports the faithful were very affected and tried to recover all the parts that had been dropped around the church.

Cross Removed from Public Space in Spanish City Aguilar

January 19, 2021, Spain

The historic cross of the Discalced Carmelite Order was removed by the city of Aguilar de la Frontera on January 19th. The decision to cut down the cross of the Fallen was backed by the Act on Historical Remembrance. The act is concerned with removing symbols of the Franco regime. The leftist mayor Carmen Flores explained that the local Andalusian legislation regulates the public display of elements that glorify Francism and that the opinion of the church is irrelevant. The Spanish Association of Christian Lawyers contested the city council's decision to remove the cross to the administrative court.

ÖCV (Austrian Catholic Cartel Association) Resistance Memorial Smeared by Vandals

January 19, 2021, Austria

In the morning hours of January 19th, the ÖCV (Austrian Catholic Cartel Association) house was vandalized. A group of left-wing extremists entered the ÖCV house and smeared several signs in the entrance area with black paint. The plaque at the memorial for the victims and resistance fighters from the rank of the ÖCV was demolished with red paint and elsewhere anarchist symbols were left behind.

Vandals Destroyed A Church In Kaźmierz

January 18, 2021, Poland

On January 18th, the church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Kaźmierz was vandalized. Unknown perpetrators destroyed three stained glass windows in the church and smashed three windows in the sacristy. Priests and parishioners are very upset.

Twenty-Five Graves Vandalized in Saint-Jean d'Assé

January 18, 2021, France

On 18th January 2021, twenty-five graves in the cemetery of Saint-Jean-d’Assé have been desecrated and vandalized. Crosses and crucifies were broken and other objects were damaged. The unknown perpetrators created two fake graves using broken and vandalized objects that have been stolen from other graves. The mayor, Emmanuel Clément filled a complaint to the police and asked for witnesses.

Threats to Sacristan and Vandalism at Catholic Peter and Paul Church

January 15, 2021, Germany

On January 15th, the sacristan of the Peter and Paul Church in Lahr identified an unknown perpetrator, who had been damaging objects and behaving in a very undignified manner. The priest reported that the holy water vessels were torn from the anchoring, the disinfection bottle was on the floor, and the man defecated inside the church. The sacristan then prohibited the man to return, which led to him becoming abusive and threatening to kill the sacristan and blow up the church. Charges were filed and after a police investigation, the man got arrested.