The church, whose frame was made of wood, was completely destroyed in a fire during the night of January 16th to 17th. When the firefighters arrived on site at 2:30 am, the church was already totally engulfed, and they could only prevent the flames from spreading to neighboring buildings. A hundred people had to be evacuated. The initial investigation indicated that the fire had started with a short circuit in the electrical system, however, an anarcho-libertarian blog post claimed responsibility. On October 7th, prosecutors said accelerants were found in the rubble and the fire would be treated as arson.
The exterior wall of the colegio de Santa Victoria of the Madres Escolapias, a private Catholic school, was spray painted with phrases such as "Death to Fascism," "School is Jail," as well as an 'anarcho-feminist' symbol.
During the afternoon of January 14th, police were called to the church of Saint-Georges after the priest discovered that unknown individuals had tried to break into the donation trunks and attempted to force open the door to the sacristy where objects of worship are stored. An hour later, police and firefighters were called to a fire at the Sainte-Foy church nearby. Police later arrested a man in his late-forties with a lengthy criminal record for setting the Sainte-Foy fire. He was then hospitalized for a psychiatric evaluation.
Sometime between January 11th and 12th, an attempt was made to set fire to a wooden wall in the entrance area of the Russian Orthodox Church (Russisch-Orthodoxen Gemeinde des Hl. Gross Martyrers Dimitrios von Thesaloniki) in Schwerin with a candle and oily liquid accelerant. Investigators found a small charred area on the wall of the wooden church because the liquid did not ignite.
A British court has ruled that a pro-life activist may challenge a legal decision banning prayer and support for women in crisis pregnancies outside a Marie Stopes clinic.
"The true martyrs are in the sea" was painted on the wall of the church of San Rocco in Rovereto as the signature of the vandals who threw an incendiary device at the church, setting fire to the door. The attack appears to have been in response to a controversial nativity scene set up to "raise awareness of the tragedy of abortion which condemns children to a real martyrdom."
The Swedish Transport Agency rejected blocked a Christian man’s request to use the word "Kristus" (Swedish for “Christ”) on his license plate, claiming the move could “cause offense” to those opposed to Christianity. When he asked to use the name “Jesus” instead, he was informed that word was blocked, too.
Asher Samson, a Pakistani Christian who fought to stay in the UK after allegedly being beaten and repeatedly threatened with execution by Islamic extremists in Pakistan, was deported back to Pakistan on January 9th. Samson, backed by thousands of Christians, attempted to persuade the UK government to allow him to stay after being threatened with execution by Islamic extremists in his home country.
Unknown perpetrators vandalized an outer wall of the Quickborn Catholic church Maria - Hilfe der Christen with white spray paint. The lettering extended over a width of about 1.5 meters at a height of about one meter.
Thieves stole the lead roof of All Saints Church, which dates to 1390. During the course of the theft the thieves caused extensive damage to the stone parapet on the roof. The damage was estimated at tens of thousands of pounds.
On January 3rd 2019 the Blessed Sacrament was profaned in the parish church of Barcenaciones in Cantabria. A holy mass of reparation was held on January 5th in the evening.
On January 1st 2019 unknown people destroyed the nativity scene at the Alto del Aguila in the mountains of Collosa by kicking and throwing it down the hill. The nativity scene was later found 300 meters away from the top of Alto del Aquila, where it was placed by the porter and 300 other people on December 16th. Every year since 1962 the nativity scene is placed there. The porcelain figures and the old crib made out of methacrylate were completely destroyed. The residents of Callosa de Segura are outraged by this criminal act.
St. Stephen's Cathedral had to be evacuated twice in one week after anonymous telephone bomb threats by were received.
On December 28th, a police officer and the church caretaker were injured when a small explosive device went off outside the Church of St. Dionysios in the Kolonaki neighborhood of Athens shortly before the Divine Liturgy was scheduled to begin. On January 19th, the anarchist group "the Iconoclastic Sect" claimed responsibility for the attack.
Unknown perpetrators broke into a Catholic church and an Evangelical church in Freren, stealing small amounts of money from donation boxes, but causing about 9,000 euros in damage.
Six monks were attacked, gagged, and bound during the course of a robbery at the monastery of Maria Immaculata in Vienna on December 27th. Several of the victims were seriously injured and police began a large-scale investigation.
On the 25th December, a nativity scene in the municipality of Vilassar de Mar was found destroyed by vandals. The Catholic Tabarnia Twitter account posted a video showing the Baby Jesus with broken arms, a painting on the Virgin Mary, and damage to St. Joseph, the mule, the ox and the shepherds.
A 19-year-old man was arrested after causing severe damage to the Apostelkirche in Kaiserslautern on the night of December 22nd. The accused destroyed three glass windows and sprayed the contents of a fire extinguisher in the church. When the police attempted to calm the man, he threatened the officers.
On Saturday morning 22nd December, the new-bought figure of the Baby Jesus from the Nativity Scene of Tordesillas was found beheaded. The vandals also removed the horns of the cow from the nativity scene. There were no witnesses, as it must have happened during the night.
The Olárizu Victorian Cross was seriously damaged after being attacked by a group of unknown people during the night to 20th December. The vandals used a radial attached to some ropes to knock the cross down from the base. There was also a video of the vandals trying to cut the base of the cross. They destroyed the concrete formwork with a hammer and cut the irons. The police and the fire department went to assess the significant damage.
Intruders entered the Benedictine abbey of St. Matthias through a window during the night of December 18th and ransacked several rooms and the adjacent church, breaking sacred objects, overturning furniture, and setting fire to songbooks and other papers. Police estimated the damage to be in the thousands of euros.
On the night to 18th December, two people set fire to the nativity scene in Santa Lucia, next to the port of Cartagena. The nativity scene had been organized by the neighborhood. There were witnesses who say the vandals threw a fireball in one of the corners where the birthplace was located. The neighbors surprised the vandals, who then run away. The fire caused several damages to the figures.
Prosecutors announced that the attack on a busy Strasbourg Christmas market was an act of terrorism, committed by an Islamist extremist who had previously pledged alliance to ISIL. During the attack, the suspect shouted "Allahu Akbar." Security experts have said that the Christmas market was likely targeted both because it was crowded and its connection to Christianity and Christian symbolism. In response to the deadly attack, other Christmas markets across France implemented extra security measures.
The National Police arrested two men for the robbery in the chapel of the Alvaro Cunqueiro Hospital. The alleged thieves stole the tabernacle containing consecrated hosts from the hospital chapel during the night of December 10, and it was a woman who came to pray first thing in the morning that alerted them to the disappearance.
The Thistles Shopping Centre in Stirling, Scotland refused requests from the Legion of St. Mary's Association to display a nativity scene in the mall, saying they "pride themselves on religious neutrality." Despite this official position, the mall heavily advertised a "Christmas Market."
Christian refugees from the Middle East are widely underrepresented in the United Kingdom. In 2017, 4,832 Syrians were accepted to the UK, however, only 11 were Christians. The Home Office has acknowledged that Christian refugees in the Middle East are “reluctant” to enter the UNHCR refugee camp system, but refuses to state this is because of persecution.
For the second year in a row, Mayor Robert Ménard, former journalist for Reporters Without Borders, installed a nativity scene in the courtyard of the town hall of Béziers. The French government filed a complaint for its removal in the administrative court, claiming the installation violated the law of 1905 on the separation of Church and State.
Dozens of its members stormed out of the "Extraordinary General Meeting" of the Irish College of General Practitioners (ICGP) concerning the Irish abortion bill on December 2nd. The members protested that their concerns and objections were not taken seriously and the ICGP “refused to accept members’ motions from the floor.” The spokesperson for the group of approximately 80 doctors, Dr Andrew O'Regan, told the media: "We feel disrespected and not listened to by our own college board."
During an advent concert in the parish church of Claußnitz on Sunday, December 2, unknown people turned on a faucet in the boiler room and flooded the cellar with it. "The boiler was totally under water," said Pastor Christian Schmidt. When the damage was discovered, the fire brigade and police were alerted. Two firefighters pumped the approximately 60 centimeters high water out of the basement. The police estimated the damage to be several thousand euros.
As Radio Maryja listeners gathered in Toruń to celebrate the radio station's 27th anniversary, a protest against public funding of the station took place a few kilometers away. Organized by a Polish secularist association, a small group protested at the monument of Nicolaus Copernicus.
A statuette of St. Anne with the Virgin Mary in a niche above a first floor window of a private home was removed and beheaded by an unknown vandal during the night of December 1st. The head was placed in front of the doorway of the home.
The perpetrator, a radicalized IS supporter, was found guilty of physical attacks and death threats against a Christian refugee, which allegedly happened in the asylum center where both were staying. The charges were stated on the 30th of November 2018.
The Swiss Ständerat (Council of States) passed a law on November 28th adding discrimination based on sexual orientation to the existing criminal law prohibiting discrimination based on race, ethnicity, or religion. A broader version of the legislation, which included "gender identity" was passed by the Nationalrat (National Council) in October. Critics of the law noted that it could restrict freedom of expression and conscience, particularly for those who hold a traditional view of sexuality and marriage. Those who violate the law could face a prison sentence of up to three years.
The parish of San Isidro de la Estación in Cártama, as well as the entrances to the parish hall and the office of Caritas, were spray painted with obscene images and phrases during the night of November 28th. The graffiti outraged the whole town and local police began an official investigation.
The Aberdeen University Students' Association (Ausa) prevented the affiliation of the Aberdeen Life Ethics Society, a pro-life student group. This means that the group would not be recognized as an official club of the University and thus would not be eligible to receive any funding for their events. The Ausa has an explicit pro-choice policy supporting "free, safe and legal access to abortion." The Life Ethics Society challenged the ban and accused the Ausa of censorship.
In the parish church of Brusimpiano, a small Italian village, on the Swiss border, was attacked. So far unknown arsonists, set a plasticized fabric hanging on the church wall on fire. Once it was lit, the fire burned the whole fabric and caused serious damage to the wall behind of it, leaving it blackened.
In the 'Maria in der Zarten' Catholic Church in Hinterzarten, the offertory box that is locked with a padlock was broken into again on November 26th. The unidentified perpetrators stole an unknown sum of money from it.
Just three weeks after the the new "Avenue of Saints" in front of the Matki Bożej Śnieżnej Church in Zarzecze was unveiled, 22 of the 23 statues were broken by vandals on November 25th. Only the figure of St. Paul was unharmed. The figures in the Avenue of Saints were dedicated on November 11th on the 100th anniversary of regaining independence by Poland "as an expression of gratitude and an invitation to the saints to our future and our nation," said parish priest Jan Rokosz.
"The Mafia never loses" (“La mafia non perde mai”) and other graffiti were discovered by the volunteers of the "San Cataldo Baia della Legalità" association in an ancient church by the bay in Terrasini.
Firefighters were called to St Mary’s Church in Penzance at around 4am in the early hours of November 24th by the key holder and his wife after the alarm sounded. A bin had been placed in front of the church door and set on fire. Witnesses reported that the fire nearly spread into the interior of the church. Police were given the CCTV footage and began an investigation. Damages are estimated at up to £10,000.
The Stadtkirche St. Georg in Neustadt was the target of vandalism during the night of the 24th of November. The Christmas tree and the loudspeaker system and cable covers on the wall were heavily damaged from having been kicked. In addition, the church was soiled with spilled red wine and cigarette butts. A week before, intruders caused damage in the church, as well. Although an an automatic locking system was installed, due to the vandalism, the church council decided to keep the church locked during the day.
The group "Glasgow Students for Life" were banned from becoming an official group by the Student' Representative Council (SRC) at Glasgow University. As a result, the student group would not have access to funding, meeting rooms, or a stall at the freshers fair. The president of the SRC said the decision had been made because the aims of the society did not align with the values of the council. "Given the SRC’s campaigning on a number of related social issues over the years, including support for the recent Repeal the 8th campaign in Ireland, it would be contrary to our ethos to endorse a society which calls for limited rights for women."
Unknown persons set fire to two benches in the altar room of the funeral chapel in Treysa on November 21st. The benches in the interior of the church were set on fire with paper waste and presumably fire accelerators. The fire caused considerable soot damage, but the building remained intact. The damage was estimated at 500 euros.
In November, several parents of children who were required to participate in a "Proud to be me" pride parade at the Heavers Farm Primary School in South East London threatened legal action. Despite numerous complaints from parents, they were informed that no opt-outs would be allowed. Parents, including Izoduwa Adhedo, reported that they were treated dismissively and victimized following their complaints. "I wasn't even trying to stop the Pride event. I just wanted my child to receive an education, rather than indoctrination," Adhedo said.
A church and war memorial were hit by vandals sometime on the 17th of November in Coatbridge. The graffiti included Republican slogans like "RIRA" (Real Irish Republican Army). The incident happened just a week after Armistice Day - the day the Allies and Germany signed the peace treaty ending the First World War.
For years, the piazza and steps in front of the church of Santa Teresa in Cosenza have been littered with bottles, glasses, vomit and urine by young people who congregate there in the evenings and on weekends. However, as parishioners stepped past all of the litter and excrement to attend Mass on the weekend of November 17th, they discovered the steps to the church were defaced with graffiti.
A wooden model of the small parish church in Bräunlingen was returned to its place next to the church altar after the damage caused by vandals had been repaired. A few days later, it was hit again by vandalism. The bottom plate of the model was forcibly torn open, the wood was shattered in the back, and part of the electronics were exposed. The offertory box on which the small church stands was looted, leaving only a few coins. Additionally the smaller of the two church towers, which was completely replaced in the past repair, was damaged again.
New information from the prosecutor's office indicates that Malek F., a Syrian asylum seeker charged with 3 counts of attempted murder for stabbings in The Hague on May 5, 2018, was specifically searching for “Christian and Jewish kuffars," Arabic for non-believers. In a recorded conversation with his mother from prison, he said they were similar to “animals or retarded people” and that he was a "soldier of Allah."
The Evangelical church of St. Simeonis in Minden was vandalized during the night on the 11th of November when unknown persons sprayed the southern church door and a wall with graffiti. In 2017, a precious 19th century window was destroyed.
On the 13th of November intruders broke into the church of Nuestra Señora de Madrid, desecrated the tabernacle, stole a ciborium, a small monstrance, and other objects from the parish office. The Cardinal Archbishop of Madrid, Carlos Osoro, expressed his pain, his prayers, and his condemnation for this desecration to the whole parish community and will soon hold an act of reparation in the church. The police began an investigation.
On four afternoons in a row, between November 13th and November 17th, unknown perpetrators threw rocks at the stained glass windows of the church of St. Stephanus in Grevenbroich-Elsen. "In total there are 27 holes up to a diameter of ten centimeters and cracks [in the windows]," according to Gerd Reibel, Deputy Chairman of the Church Council. "We estimate the total amount of the damage to be between 3,000 and 4,000 euros," he said. The parish filed a police complaint.
On the 13th November at dawn, the parish of Our Lady of Madrid was vandalized and robbed by vandals. The perpetrators entered by forcing the door open and desecrated the tabernacle and stole the ciborium and a small monstrance, they also took objects from the parish office. The police is investigating.
Asia Bibi, who spent eight years on death row in Pakistan, was released from prison after the Supreme Court of Pakistan overturned her sentence for “insulting the Prophet Mohammed.” Her acquittal led to unrest and riots among Pakistan's Muslim hardliners, prompting the government to try to prevent her from leaving the country. Her husband, Ashiq Masih, pleaded to the UK government: “I am requesting the Prime Minister of the UK help us and as far as possible grant us freedom.” The British government reportedly rejected this request for fear of civil unrest.
On the 9th of November the door of the parish church in Llamas de la Ribera was set on fire, causing severe damage. Police arrested the perpetrator.
Police determined that a fire set to an organ in the St Franziskus Church in Gummersbach was intentional. The damage done to the organ was estimated to be in the six-figure range. Due to the rapid intervention of the fire department, greater damage was prevented. "Perhaps the whole church could have gone up in flames if the fire had not been discovered so quickly," noted Father Christoph Bersch.
A press release of the parish of Port de Bordeaux reported that there were “more then 40 chairs crumbled to pieces, tables and displays thrown over” in the 11th century church of Sainte Croix. Debout France – a local federation – published information about this incident on its Twitter expressing regret saying: “vandalism (…) is more and more frequent within our church.”
Several stained glass windows of the Lama Church were broken by rocks and the door was smashed by an axe. The damage was estimated at several thousand euros.
East Lothian (Scotland) Police investigated a case of vandalism at the Wallyford Livingroom Church. Vandals smashed a window by throwing stones.
Sometime between November 4th and 7th, unknown perpetrators smashed in a window at the St. Walburgis Church in Menzelen-Ost. The damage was discovered by church staff on the evening of November 7th. The perpetrators threw an object into a glass window with lead glazing with an unknown object.
Police reported that two teenagers are suspected of having caused at least €3,000 in damage to the Reichertshausen parish church St. Stephanus between August 31st and September 13th. Many statues were damaged: the wing of a dove (representing the holy spirit) was broken, the statue of John the Baptist was damaged, and the head of a statue on the altar was broken off. A foul smelling and foamy liquid was poured into the holy water. The sacristan who discovered all of this damage also found remainders of ashes and crumbs, spilled beverages, a burned prayer book, and the note “F… dich Gott” (“F… you God”) in a book for prayer requests.
Unknown perpetrators sprayed three walls and a prayer bench with offensive graffiti in the St. Benedikt-Kirche in Herbern. The local police spokesperson referred to the act as "antisocial behavior" and suspected "marauding teenagers" committed the vandalism sometime between 11 am and 5 pm on November 2nd.
During the night before All Saints Day, the Pietà in front of the parish church St. Georg in Freising was defaced with black graffiti and vulgar sexual images. Just two weeks earlier, church painter Florian Böck had finished restoring the statue of the Mary, Mother of Sorrows (Mater Dolorosa), holding the corpse of Jesus Christ taken from the cross. Böck expressed his anger: “We really need to ask ourselves, who could do something like this?” and said it would be a long process to clean the statue and bring it to the previous status. The damage to the statue which dates back to 1640 was estimated by the police at around 3000 euros.
Sometime between the 29th and 31st of October, unknown perpetrators broke 104 windows at St Catherine’s Church in Tullamore. The police are investigating, and cannot exclude a targeted crime although the motive remains unclear. Parishioners expect up to €70,000 will be needed to renew the windows and enhance security.
Vandals sprayed a phallic symbol in foam next to the Madonna on the bronze door of the church of Santa Maria a Mare a Mercatello. The priest, who called the act disrespectful and offensive, reported that this was not the first instance of vandalism, as the churchyard is a frequent target of vandals. Both the priest and the parishioners were upset and discussed closing the churchyard and installing security cameras in the area.
Unknown perpetrators smashed three stained glass windows with stones between the 28th and 30th of October. The Hamminkeln police began an investigation.
Oxford students voted to ban Christian Concern from hosting its Wilberforce Academy residential conference at Lady Margaret Hall, calling the group a “real threat to the physical and mental safety of students.” The college, however, said it would permit the group to use its facilities provided that it paid for extra security. A college spokesperson said that Christian Concern's "opposition to abortion, Islam and LGBTQ+" rights would lead to protests so it needed to pay "additional security costs."
For the third year in a row, more than 200 schools across Poland participated in "Rainbow Friday," a campaign to celebrate and promote acceptance of LGBT issues. The Ordo Iuris Institute for Legal Culture examined whether such an addition to the school curriculum violated the education law and interfered with the constitutionally protected rights of parents to direct the education of their children. It encouraged parents who objected to their children's participation in the program to inform the schools of their wishes, and to report violations if their children are compelled to attend.
At night, the church of Santa Susana in Santiago de Compostela is reportedly frequented by young people who use the dimly lit corners of the church as urinals. Additionally nearly all the windows have been smashed in and graffiti covers the exterior of the church.
An anti-hate crime campaign One Scotland, launched in September 2018 by the Scottish police and government, includes a poster directed toward religious believers which reads (in part), “Dear Bigots, you can’t spread your religious hatred here. End of sermon. Yours, Scotland.” Other posters in the campaign were directed toward 'transphobes' and 'homophobes.' Critics of the campaign have noted that it singles out religious believers and calls them bigots without any qualification, and it is based on a political ideology which discriminates against those who hold traditional views.
For the second time in a month, a fire was set in the St. Michael church in Heroldsbach. A witness noticed the fire around 5:45pm on Sunday, the 21st of October and called the authorities. The fire brigade was able to quickly extinguish the fire and prevent further damage. An intentional fire had been set in the same church on September 16th. The criminal police of Bamberg continued the investigation into both fires and continued to seek witnesses.
Unidentified perpetrators broke into Saint-Antoine-l'Ermite church, forced open the tabernacle, and threw the ciborium containing consecrated hosts on the ground. The sacristy was vandalized, but the intruders failed to open the safe.
Several incidents of theft and vandalism took place at the Church of St. Thomas and St. John in Radcliffe. Lead from the roof and railings from the disabled access ramp were stolen and the stonework on the ramp was hammered. Ropes installed to replace the railings were then cut. Garbage and waste was repeatedly dumped on the church property.
Police were called to the church of Sainte-Julitte de Saint-Cyr-l'Ecole after feces, urine, and a cigarette butt were discovered at the foot of the altar. A police investigation was opened and a complaint will be filed.
The National Police of Gran Canaria arrested a 52-year-old man who intentionally set fire to several points on the wooden door of the parish church of San Bartolomé de Tirajana. The fire was discovered on the 13th of October at around 11:30 p.m. and the police were called. They were able to contain the flames until the arrival of the fire brigade.
Three incidents within two weeks hit the Church of Ireland Christchurch in Buncrana, County Donegal. As well as the burning of Mass leaflets, a Bible was written on, cigarettes were stubbed out on the carpet, eggs were thrown, and flowers were strewn on the floor. The church, which was open throughout the day, was used as a place of prayer by many people. However, the decision was made to close the church outside service times until security was reviewed.
Since Easter, there have been eight attacks against statues of female saints and the Virgin Mary in the southern canton of Ticino.
Mayor René Beausoleil announced at a city council meeting that he had filed a complaint with the gendarmerie after "23 impacts of rifle fire" damaged several stained glass windows in the church of Saint-Laurent in Montfaucon-d’Argonne. The damage was estimated at €16,700. The police are investigating.
Sometime between 11 am and 6 pm on October 8th, unknown perpetrators entered a church in Eichendorf, opened a holy water container and moved several crosses from the wall onto the floor. In addition, dog waste was deposited on the altar carpet. The damage was estimated €300.
A huge cement cross erected over a beach in honor of people who have drowned there was torn down by unknown perpetrators during the night of October 7th. The NGO "Coexistence and Communication in the Aegean" had previously called the cross "offensive" to non-Christian migrants, a symbol of "racism and intolerance," and claimed that it had been placed above the beach to prevent refugees and migrants from swimming there. Local residents reacted with dismay and discussed re-building it.
Vandals tore down a huge 30 kilo metal memorial cross from the cemetery next to the pilgrimage church in Marienbaum. Father Jeremias Kehren, pastor of the church, expressed the shock of the community and called it an attack on the cemetery and those who mourn there: "The wickedness with which this memorial was desecrated leaves us speechless."
During the night of October 4th, unknown vandals sprayed "Tot dem deutschen Imperialismus" (Death to German imperialism") and a hammer and sickle symbol in red paint on the Bremen Cathedral. The Otto von Bismarck monument was also hit with red tags. Bremen police began an investigation.
A man, who broke into the sacristy of the Sant'Amanzio church in Piazza SS, was sentenced to two months in prison on April 22nd. Two nuns had caught him in the act of trying to break open the room where the liturgical vestments are kept. Due to his suspicious actions, they followed him, alerted a police officer, and he was subsequently caught.
A draft of abortion legislation provided that doctors, nurses, and midwives who have a conscientious objection to abortion must refer their patients to another provider who will perform the abortion. The National Association of GPs (NAGP) voted to "advocate for conscientious objection, without obligation to refer" and for an "opt-in" system, where medical professionals register their willingness to perform the procedure, rather than an "opt-out system.
The Diocese of Osma-Soria reported on October 2nd that the church of San Esteban in the town of Masegoso was vandalized, but nothing was stolen. In Soria on September 22nd, thieves entered the hermitage of the Virgin of Ulagares and stole the money donated by the faithful, as well as religious objects of low value and some construction tools. The civil guard began an investigation.
On September 26, 2018 an 81-year-old priest was assaulted by two homeless men he sheltered in his home in Denain. The priest was awakened by noise at around 2:00 in the morning and discovered the men trying to steal his television. The men, who the priest had been sheltering and feeding for a few days, attacked him, threatened him with a kitchen knife, and tied him to his bed. After he shouted, the perpetrators fled but were soon identified and captured by the police. On October 1st, they were each sentenced to 18 months imprisonment.
The evangelical Schlosskirche in Winnenden was hit with graffiti between the 29th and 30th of October. The entire west side exterior of the 14th century church was sprayed with slogans like "Satan 666," "666 an die Macht" (666 to the power) and "stay high." The pastor said a special process would be required to remove the paint from the sandstone walls.
An attack on the freedom of conscience of doctors and medical staff was launched on the 27th of September in the French parliament by socialist senators including former Minster of Families Laurence Rossignol. They want to remove the specific conscience clause for doctors covering abortions, because it is already covered by the Public Health Code.
Unknown perpetrators set the Santi Innocenti Martiri di Montesilvano Church on fire on September 26th. This was the second fire at the church within a week and was committed while investigations into the first fire were underway by the carabinieri and the fire brigade. The entire central nave was enveloped by the fire that traveled along the entire right side to the sacristy and the meeting room. Even the roof collapsed, making the supporting structure completely unusable, according to reports. "There are people who, despite our willingness to meet them, even publicly said they did not want the church. With today's gesture, the work was completed as if they wanted to finish what they had not been able to do last week," said Father Rinaldo, the parish priest.
A 40-year-old unemployed man was sentenced to 7 years in prison on September 25, 2018 for the arson of two churches, St. Jodok in Ravensburg and St. Martin in Schlier. The incidents occurred in March 2018, which we reported at the time. The fire at St. Jodok church in Ravensburg caused at least two million euros in damage.
The mayor of Ayna (Albacete), Emiliano Rodríguez, disguised himself as a priest to perform a civil wedding ceremony in the town of Castilla-La Mancha. He wore a cassock with a large cross hanging around his neck and carried a small book like a bible in his hands. While the socialist mayor claimed it was a private event not intended to offend anyone, the stunt was widely criticized. The parish priest of Albacete wrote on social media, "As a priest I protest vigorously. Please respect my faith." (Como sacerdote protesto enérgicamente. Por favor, respete mi Fe).
Only ruins were left of the Kiihtelysvaara Lutheran Church after a 29-year-old set fire to one of Finland's oldest wooden churches in Joensuu. The arson was discovered in the morning of the 23rd of September.
The summit cross on Garlaban hill, loved by the Aubanais people and symbol of the city, was covered with red paint.
Members of the Finnish Parliament voted 100–60 against a motion of no confidence brought against Catholic Foreign Minister Timo Soini on September 21st. Four opposition parties, the Green League, Left Alliance, Social Democrats and Swedish People’s Party, brought a motion of no confidence over Soini's attendance at pro-life vigil while on an official trip to Canada in May.
A fire was set with flammable liquids at the iron entrance door of the church of Santa Domenica in Isola Capo Rizzuto on September 20th, causing blacking of the door and adjacent wall.
Police completed a forensic investigation of an explosion in an events hall owned by the St. Afrem Syrian Orthodox Church. The hall, rented from the church for events such as parties and wedding receptions, was empty at the time of the explosion. Police said the explosion was the result of a homemade incendiary device, but have not identified a perpetrator.
Police began an investigation of vandalism at the war memorial at a Catholic church in Bischofsdhron, a few days after a Way of the Cross was damaged nearby. Several stone slabs were knocked out of their foundation causing an estimated €400 in damage.
Six masked men entered the medieval Rozhen Monastery at about 8:00 pm on September 18th. They assaulted and tied up the priest who was present and began digging into the wall behind the iconostasis in the monastery church with picks and spades. After about 30 minutes, they left the monastery without taking anything except the priest's mobile phone. The priest was reportedly unharmed but shaken by the incident. Security camera footage led to the arrest of some of the perpetrators.
An "identified suspect" damaged several windows with rocks at the St. Barnabas Church in Kenilworth on the 18th of September, causing thousands of pounds in damage.
Germund Hesslow, a neurophysiology professor at Lund University, is under investigation for "anti-feminism" and "transphobia" for telling his students there are biological differences between men and women.
Early in the evening of September 16th, a witness noticed smoke coming from the St. Michael church in Heroldsbach and contacted the authorities. Police discovered burning scraps of paper and initial estimates amounted to at least 2,500 euros in damage. After a criminal investigation, officials concluded that the fire had been intentionally set and asked for assistance from any potential witnesses.