All cases
Break-In and Possible Attempted Robbery of Church in Lyon
June 12, 2017, FranceUnknown perpetrators entered the church of the 5th arrondissement of Lyon during the night of June 11-12th and broke the glass door to the sacristy. Nothing was stolen. The break-in occurred only a month after the crown of the Virgin at the Fourvière Museum was stolen.
Ramadan Prayer in front of Virgin Mary Statue
June 10, 2017, SpainBefore breaking their daily Ramadan fast, a prayer was held in the Jardines del Triunfo (Gardens of Triumph) in Granada, Spain. This prayer event was sanctioned by City Hall but caused outrage among some Catholics in the area as the Jardines del Triunfo is the site of a cherished statue of Virgin Mary.
Priest Assaulted in Church Sacristy
June 9, 2017, MonacoFather Jean-Christophe Genson of the church of Sainte-Dévote in Monaco was assaulted by an unnamed assailant as he prepared for Mass on the evening of June 9, 2017.
Three Acts of Vandalism in Jongieux
June 8, 2017, FranceSeveral statues of the Virgin Mary were vandalized in the village of Jongieux between June 8-13, 2017.
Mass Desecration of Serbian Orthodox Graves
June 6, 2017, KosovoDuring their annual visit to the Serbian Orthodox Cemetery in Mitrovica Kosovo, relatives discovered that 90 percent of the graves had been desecrated. Tombstones had been destroyed and broken on the ground. The grieving families were shocked and deeply hurt by this destruction and desecration.
Political Campaign Graffiti on Church
June 6, 2017, FranceThe church La Chapelle du Rosaire in Saint-Louis was vandalized with political graffiti during the night on June 6th, 2017. The political tags were related to the legislative campaigns in France. The mayor of Saint-Leu has condemned the vandalism and stated that he will ensure that the building is restored.
Journalist "Jokes" about imprisoning Priests
June 6, 2017, RomaniaThe Romanian journalist Ovidiu Eftimie has stated that he “yearns for the years of communist persecution, where the priest were taken to the canal and stranded in jail” (“tânjește după anii de prigoană comunistă, în care preoții erau duși la canal și înfundau pușcăriile”). He has also stated that he would love to become a new Vişinescu and punch the church leaders. The media has characterized these statements as a joke.
Swastika Graffiti Discovered in Cemetery
June 4, 2017, FranceAccording to a witness, blue swastika graffiti was found on at least four graves in the Causses-et-Veyran Cemetery on June 4, 2017. One of the graves attacked with a swastika was a bas-relief depicting mourners holding Christ after his death on the cross. The grave plaques belonged to the same family, other items from the graveyard were also moved and thrown on the ground.
Spanish Councilor of Culture Hints that Churches Should be Burned
June 4, 2017, SpainAida Ginestar Pau, town councilor for sport and culture of the Spanish city Alzira in the province of Valencia, attacked the Catholic Church and Christianity on social media. On her Facebook page, the left-wing Podemos politician wrote a post that spoke about the Catholic Church, in which she laughed at the institution and in what could be seen as incitement to violence asked "but are there still churches that have not burned all??" In Valencian: "Jajajaja jajajaja!!!! Però queden esglesies encara?? No les han cremat totes???".
School Holidays Changed to Remove Religious Connection
June 3, 2017, SpainThe Ministry of Education in Spain has proposed changing the Carnival and Easter Holidays to a week in late February and May respectively in order to remove the religious connections from the school holidays. This proposal is waiting to be ratified and implemented for the school year 2017/2018.