Police investigated an early morning fire intentionally set on January 1st in the main entrance of the old wooden church, destroying the doors and leaving the church reeking of smoke. Fortunately, the fire was extinguished before destroying the building. One week later, unknown vandals set fire to the church again on January 8th.
A 41-year-old man attacked two priests with a broken glass bottle and both had to be hospitalized. The attacker fled, but was quickly caught by the police. The motive for the attack is unclear.
Some time in the night of January 6 - 7, at least 30 graves in the cemetery of Brennilis were vandalized, with crosses and crucifixes overturned or broken and headstones toppled. Police are investigating.
Unknown perpetrators intentionally set fire to the straw at the base of the nativity scene in the Cathedral of Saint-Étienne, burning all of the figures. The Archbishop expressed the pain of the community, saying that the display expresses the heart of the Christian faith.
On January 5, 2017, the exterior of the parish of Santa María de Nazaret in Madrid, Spain, was vandalized with graffiti and an figure of Christ was damaged by unknown perpetrators.
The perpetrator, a Gambian with a valid residence permit, broke the glass case containing a statue of the Virgin Mary in the courtyard of the Church of the Madonna del Rosario and then burned the Christmas crèche, completely destroying it. He admitted the act to the police, saying that he was Muslim and wanted to destroy the Christian symbols.
A safe containing 50,000 euros was stolen from the Orval Abbey, a Cistercien-Trappist Monastery famous for a brewery whose profits go to fund social projects. Police are investigating.
Illegal fireworks are the likely cause of damage to the recently restored roof of the Reformed Church in Poeldijk. Witnesses saw two men on the roof setting fireworks, which are illegal. Officials have not determined if the damage was intentional, but the perpetrators have not come forward and police are investigating.
On New Year's Eve, unknown perpetrators vandalized a chapel, damaging a statue of the Virgin Mary and burned prayer books and wooden objects nearby. Damages are estimated at around 1,000 euros. Police are investigating.
Unknown perpetrators beheaded a statue of St. Barbara and stole a Christ figure from a cross and several other sacred objects. Damage is estimated at around 5,000 euros. Police are investigating.