All cases

Church in Neuburg Vandalised with Graffiti

October 25, 2021, Germany

In Neuburg, the Holy Spirit Church on Spitalplatz was smeared with graffiti on the 25. October, as was reported by the police. Between the 25th and 26th, an unknown perpetrator sprayed grey graffiti on a wall in the area of the parish garden. This caused damage amounting to 1000 euros, the police are running an investigation.

Hymn Books from Northumberland Church Burned

October 24, 2021, United Kingdom

Several hymn books from the Holy Trinity Church in Embleton were stolen on the 24th of October and burned in a nearby cricket ground. Despite this event, Reverend Alison Hardy said that the church would stay open and added: "I'd ask people to appreciate churches for what they are and respect them as a community asset."

Three Attacks to the Reformed Church in Wildegg

October 23, 2021, Switzerland

The Reformed Church in Wildegg has experienced three attacks of vandalism, the last on was recorded on October 23rd. The incidents included the door set on fire, the organ damaged, and a lamp splintered. The church is now considering putting up surveillance cameras as a preventative measure.

Vandalism and Damage in the "Maria Geburt" Church

October 23, 2021, Germany

The candles in the "Maria Geburt" church in Elgendorf were damaged on October 10th. Candles in the alter room, which were either burning or unused, were broken and scattered all over the floor. Also, some candles were extinguished and a barrier rope destroyed. The Montabaur Police were looking for more information about this crime.

Attempted Arson and Vandalism at the Protestant Church in Holzkirchen

October 22, 2021, Germany

According to the police of Holzkirchen, between the 22. and 24. October, the Protestant Blessing Church in the Haidstraße was targeted for vandalism. Unknown perpetrators entered the church without any problem, as the place of worship is open every day. They destroyed the disinfectant provided and spread it on the floor of the entrance, it seems that they intended to light a fire because burn matches were found in the church, they also threw the pillows of the chairs around the church. Outside, police found a fireplace consisting of a vehicle tire and small wooden branches, although no fire was lit there.

Crosses Vandalised in the Cemetery of Bouguenais

October 22, 2021, France

Several crosses were broken in the cemetery of Bouguenais in the southwest of Nantes on October 22nd. About 15 graves were subjected to this vandalism and the broken parts were left on the ground. A complaint was filed and the fingerprints were taken.

Vandals Broke Into a Parish and left 2000 Euros worth of Damage

October 21, 2021, Germany

Unknown persons broke into a parish hall in Fuldatal-Simmershausen on the evening of the 21st of April. The burglars caused about 2,000 euros worth of damage to property as well as stealing a safe with cash. The Criminal Investigation Department in Kassel was investigating the case and looking for witnesses who could provide clues as to the identity of the perpetrators.

Mallorca: Another Cross Demolished in Spain

October 21, 2021, Spain

On 22 October, the town council of Son Servera (Mallorca), which is governed by Natalia Troya, demolished the Cross of the Fallen in the Plaza de la Tercera Edad. There there was no inscription of any kind and the Cross and it had been peacefully part of the town's monuments for decades. There is serious suspicion of illegality hanging over the decision, given that in June an application was registered with the Consell de Mallorca for the Cross to be cataloged as a listed monument, and this file is pending a report which was mandatory to take any action on the monument. The town council used the "Law of Historical Memory", which was passed by the PSOE in the times of President Zapatero.

St. Marien Church in Bochum-Langendreer Looted for the Third Time

October 21, 2021, Germany

In Bochum-Langendreer, criminals have been targeting churches for looting, the last time being on the night of 23. to 24. October. The Catholic community of St. Mary's in the former Langendreer station has been the target of three burglaries this year. In February, the parish office behind the church in Marien was devastated. This time the burglars had their sight set on the church. On the night of Wednesday to Thursday (20./21. October), they broke in through the side door and stole a projector, according to the congregation. And on the night of Saturday to Sunday (23./24. October) the main entrance was broken into and the offerings were stolen.

Break-in and Heavy Vandalism at Church in Heessen

October 21, 2021, Germany

On November 21st, unknown intruders broke into the St. Stephen's church in Heessen and severely vandalized it. They broke the tabernacle out of its concrete base and used two fire extinguishers to spray foam around all of the rooms, and they also stole some money. The property damage was extremely high and the church had to be closed the next day due to forensic investigations.

Statue of the Virgin Mary Vandalised and Replace by a Garden Gnomo

October 20, 2021, France

At the end of September, a statue of the Virgin Mary of the parish church, placed in a public road in the village of Gironde, was vandalized and destroyed. A garden gnome was placed in its place. A complaint was lodged by the church's maintenance lady. A man had found pieces of the bust in a vineyard, and two days later, the head of the Virgin was placed in front of a school gate. Although the events took place at the end of September, the story first got coverage a month later. The Mayor of Le Pian-sur-Garonne was also very upset by the action, the police are investigating.

Update! Man who Knocked Down a Public Cross Faces Up To 5 Years Prison

October 20, 2021, Poland

On 18. October, a man knocked down a cross on a public road with a saw, while filming himself. He then uploaded the video on the internet. A day later, he was identified. The 31-year-old man ran a website called "Action for the liquidation of road crosses all over Poland", in whose description he motivated the desire to remove them on the grounds that they "disfigure streets and pose a threat to road traffic. He also attacked many believers and the Church. For the destruction of the cross and offensive religious sentiments, the defendant could face up to five years in prison.

A 23-year-old Vandalised a Church in Vienna

October 19, 2021, Austria

On 19. October, A 23-year-old man vandalized the church Nepomuk-Kirche in Vienna by damaging the furniture in the church and throwing things to the ground. The young man from Bangladesh was arrested shortly after witnesses saw him and raised the alarm by calling the police at around 8:30 pm. The man told the police that the church would belong to him.

Hateful Messages on the Walls of a Catholic School in Poitiers

October 19, 2021, France

Threatening posters were put on the a Catholic school in Poitiers on October 19th. The messages accused the school of homophobia and transphobia and contained "hateful" remarks about the "burning" of the Christian Union of Poitiers. A far left motive was suspected for the attack but it was not known for sure.

Cross Removed from a Public Place in Vinalesa

October 19, 2021, Spain

The town council from Vinalesa, governed by the Javier Puchol (PSOE-left wing party), demolished a cross-monolith in that was put in place in memory of eight people who were killed in during the civil war in 1936 in the town. Among the eight, was a Catholic priest who was murdered for his beliefs and some from the town saw this demolition has disrespectful to the deceased.

Man Destroys a Cross with a Saw While Filming

October 18, 2021, Poland

A 31-year-old man was arrested after he filmed himself while sawing a cross in Zastalowski in Zielona Góra. The perpetrator posted the video of this vandalic act on the Internet. The police started the investigations to find the man, who was later successfully found and arrested. The local authorities have expressed their concern and surprise regarding this violent act. "This is the first time I have encountered such desecration in our city and I hope it will be the last time. We do not know the motives for the attack on the cross, but the incident itself is very heinous," said the Coalition Civica councilor. The secretary of the regional People's Party, Arkadiusz Dąbrowski also commented, "this is an unprecedented act of vandalism. We must respect religious symbols in our country.

Arson to Shrine Dedicated to Our Lady of Lourdes in Scotland

October 18, 2021, United Kingdom

On October 17, the Carfin Grotto, Scotland's National Shrine to Our Lady of Lourdes, appeared partially burnt and destroyed as unknown perpetrators deliberately made a pile and set it on fire. As Police reported, "Enquiries are ongoing and at an early stage". Meanwhile, the community has launched a micro-funding campaign to help pay the damages due to the lack of economical means. However they are even more concerned about the rise of attacks against religious places, "we hope it is addressed at a national level", said the spokesman, John Mallon.

Over 200 Academics Called Out Bullying by Trans Activists

October 17, 2021, United Kingdom

On the 17th of October, over 200 hundred academics from different UK universities sent a letter to the Sunday Times expressing their concern about the bullying and suffering those who held the view that sex matters were receiving. The letter cited statistics from the organization "Sex Matters" and said that the majority of the discrimination came from "trans activist bullies". This type of abuse would be most acutely felt by religious persons and especially Christians who typically hold this view based off the Bible.

Church Break-In and Damage in Hemelingen

October 17, 2021, Germany

On the 17th of October, a criminal entered the church in Hemelingen through a window which they broke. The intruder then proceeded to search the rooms for goods and left after causing 1000 euros worth of damage. The police were investigating the incident.

Activists and Student Union Block Pro-life March With Anti-Christian Slogans and Insults

October 16, 2021, Austria

On the 16. October, around 2.500 people gathered for the "March for Life" in Vienna, a peaceful protest for the rights of the unborn and women. The participants faced opposition and insults from activists who planned to disrupt the march and create blockades, forcing them to change the route. The call against the pro-life march was made with polarizing language by different organizations, including the ÖH (Österreichische Hochschüler_innenschaft), which is the statutory representation of students' interests, Antifa, and other political groups. They organized a "March for Ass" and displayed anti-Christian slogans such as "abort fundamentalists" or "If Mary had aborted, we would have spared you". Jan Ledochowski, spokesperson for Christian Democracy filed a formal complaint.