All cases
Man stabs Ludlow church door
August 20, 2024, United KingdomAn act of vandalism at the Cathedral of Life church in Ludlow was recorded by police on 20 August. Pastor Cutts said a man had been sitting on the steps of the church, then got up, pulled out a knife and started stabbing the church door. Damage was found on the outside of the door. Ludlow police said the man had been arrested.
Payout for Christian woman who was fined for silent prayer, but government planing new restrictions
August 19, 2024, United KingdomA Christian charity volunteer has received a £13,000 payout and an apology from police after claiming her arrest for silently praying outside an abortion clinic was unjust and violated her human rights. While many see this as a victory for religious freedom, the new UK government is planning to introduce national legislation banning prayer outside abortion clinics.
"Allahu Akabar" smeared on Church in Haiger
August 19, 2024, GermanyUnknown vandals have smeared the walls of the city church in Haiger. According to police, "Allahu Akbar" was written on the walls.
Bishop's ceremonial chair stolen
August 19, 2024, United KingdomAn ornate historic oak bishop's chair, 100 years old and worth £500, has been stolen from the 13th-century All Saints' Church in Ashwicken between August 19- 23.
Church of Madonna di Portadini vandalised
August 17, 2024, ItalyVandals broke into a local church in Alatri, Italy, and turned it upside down.
Lutheran church in Greiz pelted with stones
August 17, 2024, GermanyUnknown persons threw stones at the Lutheran Church in Greiz. The incident is said to have taken place between 10 and 17 August. Lead glass windows were hit and damaged. The police are searching for the perpetrators. The loss is estimate at €4,000.
Vandals wreak havoc in Montecilfone church
August 17, 2024, ItalyOn the night from August 16 to 17, unknown persons destroyed a statue of Mary and other sacred objects in a chapel of a retirement home in Montecilfone.
Priest stabbed on the street in Ireland
August 16, 2024, IrelandOn August 16, in the morning an attacker brutally stabbed Fr. Paul Murphy from Waterford on his way to the Defence Force barracks in Galway, where he works as an army chaplain. Soldiers from the barracks had to open fire on the attacker. The priest is now in a serious condition.
Chalices stolen from two churches
August 16, 2024, FranceTwo churches in the Lot département suffered thefts of sacred objects on August 16 and 17, in Saint-Jean de Laure and Concots. These are the 4th and 5th thefts since the start of the year 2023 - and the 15th and 16th since the series of thefts began previous year.
Stone cross destroyed by vandals on Christian Feast Day
August 15, 2024, FranceOn the night of 15 August (the Catholic Feast Day of the Assumption Mary), vandals destroyed an important stone cross in Tréport, France. The stone cross is more than 400 years old and was declared a historical monument in 1913.
Two churches closed due to increased vandalism
August 14, 2024, GermanyDue to repeated acts of vandalism, two churches in Bodenfelde and Uslar have had to close their doors outside of worship hours. The churches have been the target of various attacks, including broken windows, arson and an altar being defaced with swastika graffiti.
Parishioners Shocked after Vandals Smash Statue
August 7, 2024, United KingdomA statue of Mary outside St Joseph Church in Wembley in the Diocese of Westminster, was smashed into pieces in the night of August 7, leaving behind the empty plinth. The parishioners are shocked. Police presence around the church will be reinforced.
Young man records anti-Christian video inside church
August 6, 2024, ItalyA young Muslim man posted a video in Arabic on TikTok that he had recorded in a church in Milan. In the video, he asked an elderly woman if she was a Christian, then wished her death and cursed another woman in the same church.
Repeated Cross Vandalism: Figure of Jesus Cut into Pieces
August 5, 2024, PolandOn August 5, a cross in the fields of the Polish village Kościuki was vandalised again, following two previous incidents. This time, the vandals also cut up the figure of Jesus, which was attached to the cross, and threw the pieces in the bushes. The local community is shocked about the anti-religious hatred displayed by the act.
Theft of consecrated hosts in Porto Recanati
August 5, 2024, ItalyOn the evening of August 5, unknown persons entered the church of the Most Precious Blood in Porto Recanati and, after forcing the tabernacle, took the hosts that had already been consecrated and were kept inside. During their escape, the thieves abandoned a chalice on the street. The parish priest alerted the police. Nothing else was stolen from the church.
Christian Activists unlawfully arrested in Paris
August 5, 2024, FranceOn August 5, Parisian police arrested six Christians who were on a bus labelled with “Stop attacks on Christians” driving around Paris to bring attention to the Last Supper parody at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony and its anti-Christian message.
French Church vandalised: Tabernacle set on fire
August 4, 2024, FranceIn the church of Saint-Pierre in Lège-Cap-Ferret, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, the tabernacle was set on fire during the night of August 4. Furthermore, religious materials were smashed on the ground. The church will remain closed during the restoration. The police have started an investigation.
Pastor attacked while praying for protestors
August 4, 2024, United KingdomA member of the Baptist church in Middlesborough was attacked by far-right protesters as he prayed alongside a rally on 4 August.
Man sets fire to door of Birštonas church
August 3, 2024, LithuaniaA 22-year-old man poured flammable liquid on the door of the church on the night of 4 August, set fire to it and smashed the glass above the main entrance door with a stone.
Concerns over Application of French "Abuse of Weakness" Law
August 1, 2024, FranceThe trial for “abuse of weakness” of the Catholic Missionary Family of Notre-Dame (FMND) raises concerns about the application of the recently amended French “anti-cult” law. At the trail, the experts solicited by the investigators presented some of basic principles of religious communities, such as the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, or silence and parts of the Catholic catechism, as “means of submission”.