All cases

Styria: Arson in Church

September 11, 2017, Austria

Several confessional doors in the Church of the Holy Family in Kapfenberg (Diocese of Graz-Seckau) were set on fire. Because the fire was quickly discovered by church visitors, a greater degree of damage was avoided. The property damage includes the confessionals, a song book stand, and charred song books. Police were called to investigate.

Man was Attacked for Wearing a Cross in Berlin

September 11, 2017, Germany

The Berlin police reported that a 23-year-old man from Afghanistan was attacked and injured for wearing chain with a cross on it. He was approached by two men on evening of September 11, 2017 in Neukölln. According to the police report, he stated that the attackers had asked him why he had become a Christian. One of the two perpetrators tore the chain from the man's neck and beat him while the other held him down. The police called the incident "dangerous bodily harm" with a "religious background."

Arson in the Church of Saint Denis d'Hellemmes-Lille

September 10, 2017, France

A fire was discovered in the late afternoon of September 10, 2017 and appeared to have been intentionally set in three separate places, including the the altar of the church of Saint Denis d'Hellemmes-Lille. The fire brigade came quickly and was able to extinguish the fire. The organ suffered the most damage and is no longer useable. The police opened an investigation.

Desecration in Madrid Church

September 6, 2017, Spain

Unknown perpetrators broke into the parish of the Virgin of Bethlehem in Alcalá de Henares during the night of 5th and 6th of September 2017. They looted the altarpiece of the high altar, including the tabernacle containing consecrated Hosts, the ciborium of a chapel and a small monstrance containing a consecrated Host. The attackers threw the consecrated Hosts on the floor. Police were called and a Mass of Reparation was scheduled.

Christian Celebration in Turkish-Cyprus Temporarily Prohibited

September 5, 2017, Cyprus

The Cypriot Orthodox Metropolis of Morphou was banned from holding its annual patron saint feast service. The ban was passed at the last minute and the official justification was that it was not possible to guarantee the safety of the Christian celebration because of the simultaneous Muslim festival of Kurban Bairam.

Three Roadside Crucifixes Heavily Damaged in Styria

September 4, 2017, Austria

According to police in St. Stefan im Rosental, three roadside Jesus figures were forcibly removed from crosses, demolished, and stolen. Only parts of the figures remained on the crosses. All three cases were reported between August 31st and September 5th, 2017. In total, a loss of several hundred euros was incurred. Police investigated.

Nestlé and Carrefour Removed Cross from Greek Yoghurt Packaging

September 4, 2017, International

The world’s largest food and beverage company Nestlé has removed the Christian cross from its Greek yogurt packaging depicting the famous blue-domed Anastasis Church in Santorini, Greece. Supermarket brands Carrefour Lidl have used similar images.

Wayside Crucifix Demolished in Southern Styria

September 2, 2017, Austria

The figure of a crucified Jesus Christ was destroyed, left hanging without arms or legs, on a wayside cross on a hiking trail in the district of Harla. The vandalism was discovered during the weekend of September 2, 2017. The priest of the parish of St. Johann im Saggautal expressed the community's shock, noting that offertory boxes had been broken in the past, but this extent of violence against a crucifix is "shockingly new." A complaint was filed by the diocese.

Church Profaned in Layrac: Young People Smoked Shisha on the Altar

August 31, 2017, France

After a report of continuing disorderly conduct in the church of Saint Martin de Layrac, surveillance equipment revealed that a group of young people had been sitting on the altar smoking the lighted shisha with candles during the month of August. The police intervened and the parents were summoned.

Lidl Supermarket Group Removed Crosses from Santorini Churches on Greek Products

August 31, 2017, International

The supermarket chain Lidl promotes its Greek ERIDANOUS products with images of the famous Anastasis Church in Santorini, Greece, complete with its world-renowned blue dome roof. However, the packaging image has photoshopped out the crosses from the tops the orthodox churches. Lidl spokesman said "We are avoiding the use of religious symbols because we do not wish to exclude any religious beliefs," and "We are a company that respects diversity and this is what explains the design of this packaging." The company later apologized, "Our intention has never been to shock. We avoid the use of religious symbols on our packaging to maintain neutrality in all religions. If it has been perceived differently, we apologize to those who may have been shocked."

Jerez Church Vandalized with Graffiti

August 30, 2017, Spain

Nuestra Señora de Fátima was sprayed with graffiti reading "Pedophiles" and "God is bisexual. She loves everyone."

Court Rules Christian Child Can be Returned to Family

August 29, 2017, United Kingdom

A Christian five-year-old girl was placed into foster care with a Muslim family in London. Confidential local authority reports suggest that the foster family removed the girl's Christian cross necklace, suggested she learn Arabic, and forbade her from eating pork. In addition, It was alleged that when she had a visit with her biological mother, the girl said that Christmas was “stupid” and European women are “stupid alcoholics”. The court having jurisdiction ruled on August 29, 2017 that the girl should be placed with her grandmother.

Devastating Vandalism in Wieselburg Parish Church

August 28, 2017, Austria

Unknown perpetrators broke into the church, forced open the sacristy door. They caused enormous material damage, including cutting all electrical cables, destroying armchair upholstery, tearing the tabernacle from the altar, destroying the Easter candle, and stealing a few hundred euros in cash. In addition, the vandals poured sand on the church floor and made the sign of a pentagram, according to the police.

Vatican Secretary of State calls Jihadist Video "Worrying"

August 26, 2017, Italy

Cardinal Pietro Parolin, the Vatican Secretary of State, told reporters on August 26, 2017 that a day earlier he had seen a video indicating that the pope is a target of an Islamic extremist attack. He said that the Vatican would not increase its already high security measures.

Burglary in Schwadorf Parish

August 23, 2017, Austria

During the night of August 23, 2017, burglars broke into the parish church in Schwadorf through a terrace door. After being unable to break into the office, they entered the priest's apartment. According to police, cash and valuables were stolen, including a jewelry box and a clock. Afterwards, the perpetrators sprayed a fire extinguisher on the floor in the entrance of the apartment, in the stairwell of the parish center, and on the ground floor, to obliterate their footprints. The church was equipped with an alarm system, but the priest was not at home at the time of the incident, so no one heard the alarm. A passerby discovered the break-in in the morning and reported it to the police.

Muslim Threatens Journalist: "We are sick of Christians"

August 23, 2017, Spain

On August 23, 2017, in Cañada de la Muerte, one of the most troubled and dangerous districts in Melilla, a Spanish journalist from Antena 3 approached a group of Muslim men. One man was filmed saying: "We are tired of you, the Spaniards and the Christians [..] They have us held here, separated and marginalized." When the journalist pointed out that the man was Spanish himself, he answered: "I am not Spanish, I am Muslim." "We throw stones at the police because they come to bother us. They just want to ask us for documentation ... they annoy us." Another man did not hesitate to justify the Barcelona attacks: "It's normal. We Muslims are sick of you, the Christians." He then threatened, "I myself can take a truck and run over people because I'm tired of living like this. Of not having opportunities because of you."

Arran Denounces Islamophobia but Paints Churches with Graffiti Inciting Violence

August 23, 2017, Spain

The leftist youth organization of the Catalan Pro-Independence movement, Arran, has painted the facades of some Catalonian churches with aggressive messages like "The only church that illuminates is the one that burns" or "against the attacks of the Church, together we are stronger." Jésus Sanz, head of studies of the platform Civic Convivencia, has responded by noting "You do not have to be Catholic, or even a believer, but just a minimally respectful person to condemn the attacks."

Break-in and Vandalism at Erlauf Church

August 21, 2017, Austria

Unknown perpetrators broke into the church in Erlauf sometime during the night of August 20-21, 2017. All the money in the church had been removed on the Sunday after the Mass, but the sacristy was ransacked, with boxes emptied and overturned. It is unclear whether anything was stolen. This was the fourth break-in at the church.

15th Century Image of Saint Paul Destroyed by Vandals

August 18, 2017, Spain

Unknown vandals tore down and destroyed the image of Saint Paul from the Gothic doorway of the parish of Andra Mari in Gernika (Guernica), Spain on August 18, 2017. The image, dated from the 15th century, was found broken to pieces. The parish filed a complaint.

Bilbao: Fair Booth Depicts Jesus Christ as Cuts of Meat

August 18, 2017, Spain

A poster of a crucified Jesus Christ with his body parts labeled as if they were pieces of meat for sale, with the words "Take and eat, this is my body," was on display in an exhibition called "Vatican Butchers." It was shown in one of the "txosnas" (fair booths of clubs which have music and drinks) during the Semana Grande in Bilbao. The poster was surrounded by pieces of meat and sausages hung from butcher hooks.