All cases

CoE PACE Proposal Might Endanger Parents' Rights to Religious Education

September 6, 2012, European Institutions (EU, ECHR, et.al.)

French member of the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe proposed a report on the protection of children against 'sectarian drifts' which possibly collides with the parents' right to religious education of their choice.

Greenpeace Activists Harass Crossroads Walkers

September 6, 2012, Spain

Participants in Spain’s first annual Crossroads walk, a Christian-inspired cross-country march for the right to life, were confronted with a group of angry Greenpeace activists, who were peeved by the walkers’ pro-life position, and suffered insults, severe threats of violence and graffiti on their RV.

British Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg’s Advisor Calls Same-Sex Marriage Opponents “Bigots”

September 4, 2012, United Kingdom

A former senior advisor to Nick Clegg says supporters of traditional marriage are “bigots” and Mr Clegg should have said so too in a speech but changed it after public furor.

Evangelical Church Desecrated in Odenwald

September 4, 2012, Germany

In Hirschhorn (Odenwald) on the 4th Sept. 2012 the Evangelical church was desecrated.

Vandalism and Theft in Werdener Dom in Essen

September 3, 2012, Germany

Perpetrators broke into the cathedral of Werden in Essen and stole the donation boxes creating several thousand euros worth of damage.

Movie of Austrian Producer “Paradise: Faith” with Blasphemous Content

September 2, 2012, Italy

The movie “Paradise: Faith”, shown at the film festival in Venice, scandalized the audience because of a masturbation scene using a cross.

Teacher Flunks High School Student for Saying that Homosexuality is an “Abnormal Orientation"

September 1, 2012, Sweden

During a biology class a Swedish high school student spoke up and called homosexuality an “abnormal sexual orientation”. As a result of this comment the teacher flunked the student. The reasoning of the teacher is that it is the task of the educational system to teach pupils respect for all sexual orientations. The opposing view of the student doesn’t correspond to the curriculum’s goal.

Churches in Occupied Cyprus Plundered

September 1, 2012, Cyprus

Numerous churches in the Turkish occupied area of Cyprus were profaned and turned into storage rooms, museums and mosques.

Local Council in Broue Orders Removal of Cross at Cemetery

August 30, 2012, France

The City of Broue ordered the removal of a cross at the entrance to the city cemetery at the instigation of a counsellor, saying that "the cemetery is a public building; there should be no religious symbols." This was done "in the name of tolerance."

Ad For Mountain Tourism Conceals Summit Cross

August 30, 2012, Germany

Due to increased tourism from Middle Eastern countries, the management of the Zugspitze Railway in Bavaria produced an advertisement leaflet of the mountain “Zugspitze” without an image of the summit cross. Churches protested.