All cases

Thirty-two Graves Desecrated at the Batignolles Cemetery in Paris

March 20, 2017, France

Between 16 and 20 March, 2017 during the night, 32 graves - mostly Christian - were excavated and searched. Officials presume the perpetrators were looking for valuables. A thorough inspection of the cemetery of 15,000 graves, on about ten hectares, was carried out. Surveillance of the premises was strengthened.

Anti-Christian Crimes Recorded as "Islamophobia"

March 18, 2017, United Kingdom

Freedom of Information inquiries made by the Network of Sikh Organisations revealed that the London Metropolitan Police recorded 1,227 incidents of Islamophobic hate crime in 2016, but in 57 of these incidents the victim was not contacted, in 86 the religion of the victim was unknown, and 85 of the reported cases were ‘blank’. 19 Hindus, 11 atheists, 43 Christians and four Sikhs were victims.

Basilica in Valencia Vandalized

March 17, 2017, Spain

The Basilica of the Mare de Deu dels Desamparats was vandalized with offensive graffiti on the walls and black paint thrown on the mosaic of the Virgin Mary over several days, beginning during the night between March 11th and 12th. Citizens, as well as the Archbishop, denounced the acts.

Mother and Son Arrested for Church Theft

March 16, 2017, Switzerland

Police in Givisiez arrested a 46-year-old woman and her 27-year-old son for the theft of donation boxes from a chapel in Bulle and two churches in Freiburg.

University Students Want Pro-Life Posters Removed

March 16, 2017, United Kingdom

Aberdeen University students petitioned to have a pro-life poster removed from campus, claiming it was “actively harmful” to women. The Catholic chaplaincy on the campus displayed posters for a 40 Days of Life event, featuring people holding signs and prayer vigils outside the city’s maternity hospital during Lent.

Muslims Encouraged to Marry Christians to Spread Islam in Spain

March 15, 2017, Spain

Hundreds of posters were hung around the El Raval neighborhood of Barcelona encouraging Muslim men to take Christian wives, saying that they were permitted and encouraged to marry "honest and chaste women of the Book" (meaning Christians) for the purpose of increasing the population of Muslims in the region. The posters read "Brother, join in alliance with a Spanish woman, teach her that Islam is the only true religion. Islamic law dictates that the fruits of this alliance will follow Islam, which will further strengthen our community." It appears these posters are part of the "right-to-return" movement to "Restore Al-Andalus" -- that is, Muslim Spain.

Polish Universities Cancelled Pro-Life Speaker After Protests

March 14, 2017, Poland

In early March, the legal advocacy group Ordo Iuris and several student organizations invited Rebecca Kiessling, an American pro-life speaker, to give speeches at several universities in Poland. While all of the universities had initially agreed to hold the events, they abruptly cancelled the events or modified the format, after leftist groups protested.

Man Arrested for Church Vandalism

March 14, 2017, Luxembourg

Officials were called when smoke was seen coming from the church of Bettembourg. When they arrived they found a man had set fire to flags inside the church and had destroyed statues and other objects. Motive is not clear and an investigation is underway.

Court: Employers May Prohibit Employees from Wearing Religious Symbols

March 14, 2017, European Institutions (EU, ECHR, et.al.)

On March 14, 2017, the European Court of Justice put employers' interest in "neutrality" above employees' exercise of religious freedom in a landmark judgment. The Court ruled that employers can prohibit the visible wearing of any political, philosophical or religious sign in the workplace.

Las Palmas Prosecutor Investigating Performance of Drag Queen as Christ

March 13, 2017, Spain

At the request of the Association of Christian Lawyers, the prosecutor's office initiated a criminal investigation of the performance of a "drag queen" dressed as the Virgin Mary and then as Jesus Christ during the Carnival celebrations. The office stated that because Carnival is so closely related to the Christian observance of the beginning of Lent, the performance was intentionally offensive to religious feelings. The Bishop's Conference called it "blasphemous."