All cases
Arson at Saint-Gildas Church in Auray
March 4, 2018, FranceOn 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, SwitzerlandA 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, SpainThe 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, GermanyFather 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, SpainThe 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, FranceA 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, FranceDuring 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, FranceThe 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, FranceOn 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."
City Hall Renovation Eliminates Christian Mosaic
February 20, 2018, SpainUnder the pretext of the restoration of the city hall's headquarters, the government of the town of San Fernando in Cadiz decided to remove the mosaic of the Sacred Heart of Jesus that had adorned the main facade of the building since 1941.