All cases
Vandals Tagged Church Walls and Door with Blasphemous Words
January 20, 2022, ItalyIn Muggio, the façade of the Sanctuary of the Madonna del Castagno was found covered with blasphemous taggs on the 21st of January. The walls and the entrance door of the church were vandalised by unknown perpetrators, with the words "Dio cane" (Dog God). According to the news outlet "Today", the places of worship in the city had been attacked with arson in recent weeks and in the summer. The community was very affected by this incident and volunteers have cleaned the walls.
Arsonist Burns Church Altar in Germany
January 20, 2022, GermanyOn 20 January, the Paul Gerhardt Church in Berlin fell victim to an arson attack, destroying the altar, an image of Christ and the organ. Thirty firefighters were needed to extinguish the fire. The Evangelical congregation was shocked by the incident, with Pastor Aljona Hofmann saying: 'It strikes at the heart of the church.' According to a witness, a man left the church in a hurry shortly before the fire started; the church would normally have been closed at this time. The police are investigating.
France: Minister of Interior Releases 4 Million Euro Budget to protect Places of Worship
January 20, 2022, FranceThe minister of interior in France, Gérald Darmanin, has announced a four million euro budget to secure places of worship after a series of acts of vandalism to churches. In relation to this, the philosopher and historian, Remi Brague, said in an interview that attacking the Catholic Church has become very easy. He also sees it as a way of weakening the whole country and points out that the solution to improve the security of Churches is not only financial. The minister plans to finance video surveillance in particular.
Catholic Church Vandalised with Dog Manure for several Months
January 20, 2022, GermanyThe police have found a suspect, who might be responsible for the vandalism attacks that endured the Catholic church St. Aegidius for several months since October 2021. The man had smeared dog excrement on the walls of the church or left dog excrement at the entrance of the church almost every week. The pastor Anrul Lourdu commented: "We are speechless and meanwhile also powerless. It is simply undignified, unattractive and inhumane what is happening."
Suspected Arson to Church in Valladolid
January 19, 2022, SpainThe church of Our Lady of Fatima in Valladolid has been severely damaged by a fire that was started from outside the church. The investigation indicates that the fire could have been caused by arson. The head of the parish of San José Obrero, Enrique Barrientos, said: "In principle, it seems to have been provoked because the fire went from the outside in. There had been some acts of vandalism in the area." The incident took place on the 19. January in the early morning, and the first one to raise the alarm was the headmaster of a school that is attached to the chapel. The fire damaged a church door, an image of the Virgin and the electronic organ, which was completely burnt.
Police Arrest Man Guilty for Theft of Sacred Obejcts
January 18, 2022, ItalyThe police of Salerno has captured a man who was guilty of stealing sacred objects from the church of Our Lady of Mount Carmel on the 18th of January. The thieve had stolen a silver chalice and monstrance. The police were alerted by Don Biagio, the parish priest who was in the sacristy when the theft took place. The 24-year-old perpetrator was identified with the security cameras and the objects were returned to the church.
Outer Walls of Church in Napoli Marred by Fire
January 18, 2022, ItalyOn January 18th, the outer walls of the Sant'Eligio Church in Piazza Mercato, Naples, were blackened by a fire lit by youths from the city. The police quickly arrived at the scene but not before the walls had been damaged.
Church Front Set Alight in Muggiò
January 18, 2022, ItalyThe doormat of the Santa Giuliana church in Muggiò was set alight by unknow vandals on 18. January. The main doors of the historic 13th century church were blackened by the flames. This act of arson was obviously done in contempt of the church.
Church Bell Tower in Villingen-Schwenningen Defaced
January 18, 2022, GermanyThe bell tower of a church in Villingen-Schwenningen was defaced by unknown vandals. They sprayed the tower with writing and caused property damage of around 100 Euros on January 18th. The police were looking for more information and wanted witnesses.
Arson to Nativity Scene in Church in Dortmund
January 17, 2022, GermanyThe police assume that the straw on the cot of the Provost Church of St. John the Baptist was set on fire by someone. Arson is suspected. This was reported by "Der Westen". According to the parish website, a visitor to the Catholic church noticed the fire at the cot on Monday and reported it. With the help of a fire extinguisher, the caretaker and sexton were able to prevent the fire from spreading to the Christmas trees and the wooden altar.The nativity scene has now been dismantled. The church remains open, but additional safety measures are being considered.
Entire Music Equipment Stolen from Dresden Church
January 17, 2022, GermanyAn unknown thief stole the music equipment form the Friedenskirche Church in Dresden-Löbtau. The theft happened on the 17 of January and police say the stolen goods had a value of around 2,000 euros. The equipment is vital for celebrating services.
Man Tears Host into Pieces During Mass
January 16, 2022, FranceOn the 16. January, in the parish of Saint-Esprit in Paris during Mass, a man went to receive Communion, but instead, he took the Host and tore it into pieces and threw it to the ground. The Father Simón Fornier de Violeta, one of the parish vicars, was distributing Communion when this man arrived and stretched out his hand. As the priest tried to ask him about this profanation, he replied "For Nadia", and went away. The priest said: "The act was thought out, premeditated." He commented that the man had some injuries in his hands, like "people who consume drugs or drink too much."
Man Arrested for Dismembering Figures of Jesus
January 16, 2022, GermanyA 30 year old man was arrest for multiple accounts of property damage around the Märkischer Kreis region on January 16th. The cases included the dismembering of Jesus figurines, stolen statues of the Virgin Mary and Jesus, and damage to wayside crosses. The police suspected it was not a religiously motivated attack but this does not excuse the fact that the objects that were destroyed in a sacrilegious manner, were sacred to Christians.
Burglary of Church in St. Ingbert
January 16, 2022, GermanyOn January 16th, three men and two women, entered the church of St. Hildegard in St. Ingbert and stole several items after ransacking the inside. Groceries were stolen and some offering sticks, which they tried to break, were shaken to get the coins out. When the police arrived on the scene, the criminals fled but the two women were arrested. A follow up investigation confirmed that the suspects were a gang who had raided several other churches and items, including a gold chalice worth thousands, were found in one of their apartments.
Police Are Investigating Arson to Dundee Church
January 15, 2022, United KingdomIn Dundee, Scotland, the St Luke’s Parish Church was the victim of an arson attack on the 15. January. The crew that extinguished the fire found that someone had set alight rubbish around 4 pm, according to the police. Also, neighbours said there have been issues with teenagers accessing the grounds of the former church.
Graffiti in Wertingen Church
January 13, 2022, GermanyA severe case of vandalism was recorded at the St. Martin's Church in Wertingen on January 13th. Graffiti and the number 187, meaning murder, were painted all over the wooden paneling and seats. There was even a failed attempt to break open the sacristy door; and the offertory was also damaged, in the adjacent Lourdes Grotto. There was an estimated property damage of around 1,000 Euros.
Break-In and Property Damage to Church in Niederlinxweiler
January 13, 2022, GermanyUnknown intruders destructively gained access to the evangelical church in Niederlinxweiler on January 13th. In their attempt to find and steal valuables from the sacristy, they ransacked rooms and caused a large amount of property damage. The police were looking for witnesses to provide more information.
Polish Court Rejects Appeal for LGBTQ Acquittal
January 12, 2022, PolandThe Plock court in Poland has finally rejected the prosecutions appeal after three pro-LGBTQ women were acquitted in March of 2021. They had been distributing posters of the Virgin May with a rainbow halo on her head and were prosecuted for "offending religious beliefs." The sentence would have been up to two years but the offence was not deemed severe enough.
Drunk Man Threatens Priest And Tries to Enter Church
January 11, 2022, ItalyAround 4 a.m. today, Tuesday 11 January, a 29-year-old young man with multiple past convictions began threatening the parish priest of the Collegiate Church in Moncalieri because he could not get into the church. The parish priest, worried about the possibility of vandalism, called the Carabinieri. When they arrived a few minutes later, the soldiers tried to calm him down, but the man attacked them and continued his fury even at the barracks, where he was taken to formalise his arrest.
Tabernacle Broken in Romainville
January 11, 2022, FranceVandals wrecked the church of Saint-Germain-l'Auxerrois in Romainville on January 11th. The Diocese wrote in a press release, "a trunk was torn off, the tabernacle was fractured, the sound equipment, stolen and the cupboards of the sacristy, stripped of several sacred vases". This act of desecration expressed a total lack of respect for these religious symbols.