All cases
Attempted Burglary in Church
August 30, 2020, GermanyBetween Friday night and Saturday morning, unknown persons tried to break into a Catholic Church. They unlocked a glass panel with a cobblestone. The burglars realized afterwards that they would not be able to enter the church any further this way and got away.
Wayside Cross destroyed in Colmar
August 30, 2020, FranceDuring the night of 30 to 31 August, the wayside cross in rue du Logelbach in the city of Colmar was destroyed. Prior to the attack, plans had already been made to restore the cross and set it up in the presbytery park. The priest of Saint-Joseph parish, François Martz, filed a complaint online.
Statue of Armenian Priest Smeared by Turkish Genocide Deniers in Paris
August 30, 2020, FranceCCAF (Council for Coordination of Armenian Organizations in France) reported on their Facebook page on August 30th, that a statue of the Armenian priest Komitas Vardapet, symbol of the Armenian Genocide, had been smeared with graffiti. The nature of the incident hints at a motive coming from Turkish genocide deniers. The message read "c'est faux", which can be translated as "This is not true". CCAF expressed their concerns regarding this attack on the dignity of the descendants of the victims of the Armenian genocide.
Old Wooden Cross Vandalised in Mount of Calvary
August 30, 2020, ItalyOn an unknown time before the end of August, unknown vandals removed the arms of the wooden cross, which was placed on Monte della Croce in Carpineti. Another unidentified pilgrim, replaced the damage with a wooden rod and tied it with iron wire. A formal recovery of the Cross was celebrated as part of the San Vitale Fair.
Statue of Saint Thomas Targeted For Attempted Robbery
August 30, 2020, FranceOn the 30th pf August, a statue of Saint-Thomas, which was on the porch of the church in Plounéour-Ménez in Finistère, was targeted by robbers or vandals. Three individuals inside a car pulled a rope around the statue to get into into their vehicle, witnesses saw them and scared the perpetrators away. The robbers fled the scene leaving the statue toppled over and damaged.
15 Pieces of Art Stolen from Basilique Saint-Mathurin in Larchant
August 29, 2020, France14 paintings and a statue of Christ on the cross were stolen from Basilique Saint-Mathurin in Larchant. While the financial loss was estimated at 25.000 to 30.000 euros, the community also mourned the loss of heritage. The theft could have taken place between August 20 and 29. La Chapelle-de-la-Reine brigade initiated an investigation, supported by the research department of Fointainebleau police.
Anti-Christian Graffiti on Tour de France Course
August 29, 2020, FranceSpectators of the Tour de France race, which started on August 29th in Nice, discovered large anti-Christian messages painted on the road of Col de Glières pass, which was part of the race course. The images consisted of a cross inserted into a large prohibition sign and a slogan saying "Bad religion", accompanied by the painting of a red devil on turquoise background and a message saying "Pleased to meet you."
Cemetery and Village Hall Vandalized in Saint-Urbain
August 29, 2020, FranceDuring the night from August 29th to 30th, the cemetery and the village hall in Saint-Urbain (département de Finistère) were vandalized. Several crosses on private tombstones were broken, ornamental shells were taken off a monument dedicated to war victims in the community, and windows of the village hall Ti-Kreisker were smashed. Plougastel police began an investigation.
Sacred Objects for Worship Stolen from Five Churches in Jura Region
August 28, 2020, FranceA series of thefts occured in the French region of Jura during the period of August 16th to 28th: A monstrance and a chalice were stolen from both the church in Nevy-sur-Seille and Monteney. In Saint-Etienne Church in Rans, three golden chalices, a small golden ciborium and a silver cup, listed as part of the heritage of sacred arts, were stolen. In addition, a chalice, a ciborium and a paten were missing in Rochefort-sur-Nenon and the collection box in Baume-les-Messieurs was plundered. The police in Dole began investigations and suspected that most of the cases were linked.
Anti-Christian Graffiti on Christian Bookstore in Lyon
August 28, 2020, FranceEmployees of the CLC Christian bookstore, situated on the quai Tilsitt in Lyon, found red and white graffiti painted on all of their shop windows in the morning of August 29th. The messages included "Christianity is a sect that succeeded" or "Up there, God doesn't exist". A complaint was filed.