All cases

Activist says "Burn the Episcopal Conference"

March 6, 2018, Spain

On March 6 during the television program Més 324 on the public broadcasting network Catalonia TV3, former CUP politician and activist Bel Olid encouraged participation in the March 8 feminist strike by saying: "Hem de cremar la conferència episcopal per masclista i patriarchal!" (We must burn the Episcopal Conference for machismo and patriarchyl!).

Arson at Saint-Gildas Church in Auray

March 4, 2018, France

On the afternoon of March 4th, a parishioner discovered thick smoke inside l'église Saint-Gildas. She observed two young women running from the church and immediately contacted the authorities. Firefighters discovered 10 separate fires had been set inside.

Bomb Scare in Bern Church

March 2, 2018, Switzerland

A 21-year-old Afghan man was arrested in Bern on March 2nd after he threatened to blow up the Heiliggeistkirche (Church of the Holy Spirit) near the main train station. Witnesses reported unusual behavior to the police. Upon arrival, police found the man in possession of "suspicious objects" which were later neutralized. The church was evacuated and the area around the church was sealed off for hours.

Local Government to Demolish Cross

March 1, 2018, Spain

The tripartite government of the Castellón municipality of Vall d'Uixó formed by PSOE (Spanish Socialist Workers' Party), Izquierda Unida (United Left) and Compomís (Coalició Compromís) announced the demolition of the cross in the small Plaza de la Paz (Freedom's Square). The removal was driven by the law of Historical Memory. However, the cross of Vall d'Uixó no longer contains any symbol that refers to the Civil War or the Franco regime.

Beloved Priest Murdered in Francophone Parish in Berlin

February 22, 2018, Germany

Father Alain-Florent Gandoulou, the head of the Catholic French-Speaking community, was murdered in his office around midnight.

Government Sponsored Festival whose Poster Depicted Church in Flames

February 22, 2018, Spain

The Lugo City Hall, governed by PSOE, sponsored a music festival in February 2018 whose promotional poster depicts Christian church in flames. The three-day festival called “A Candeloria” was organized for the 15th consecutive year. All participating musical bands shared in common "combative music" with "corrosive lyrics about the system and its institutions."

Strasbourg Cathedral Tagged

February 22, 2018, France

A facade and the double door of Strasbourg Cathedral were tagged during the night between February 20th and 21st with the anarchist message “Neither god nor master” ("Ni Dieu, Ni Maître").  

10 Churches in the French Regions of Loire-Atlantique and Morbihan Desecrated

February 21, 2018, France

During February at least ten churches in the French Region of Morbihan and Loire-Atlantique were desecrated or robbed, according to media reports. After police investigation, two men were arrested.

Church Desecrated in Erdeven

February 21, 2018, France

The tabernacle was desecrated in the church of Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Paul in Erdeven (Morbihan).

"Jesus Magazine" Mocked by French Daily Host

February 20, 2018, France

On the daily television program Le Quotidien, host Yann Barthès mocked the publication of a magazine called "Jesus" and comedian Vincent Dedienne joined in by singing "I have holes in my hands and in my feet." Eric Célérier, founder of the website Top Chrétien, publicly denounced this by noting that "mocking Jews is anti-Semitism and punishable by law. Mocking Muslims is Islamophobia. But strangely, it seems that making fun of Christians and Jesus is... humor."