All cases

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.

No Charges Filed against Porn Makers for Church Sex Film in Tilburg

August 15, 2017, Netherlands

Prosecutors rejected a complaint from Saint Joseph's Catholic Church in Tilburg after two actors were filmed having sex in the confessional box. The video was posted on a Dutch porn website earlier this year. Dutch authorities said the pornographic film was offensive but there was no longer a blasphemy law in the Netherlands. A reparation Mass was held due to the desecration in the church.

Terror Threat in Lausanne and Geneva

August 13, 2017, Switzerland

A 28-year-old man planned a terror attack in Lausanne and on a church in Geneva, according to evidence found on his mobile phone.

Wooden Christ Statue Decapitated on Mountaintop

August 7, 2017, Austria

A hand-carved figure of Jesus Christ on a cross was placed at 789 meters on the north side of the Traunstein mountain in Gmunden, Austria by members of the alpine club as a gift to a member. They discovered the statue had been decapitated with a saw when they arrived to present the gift on August 7, 2017. Police are investigating.

Prison Worker Loses Employment Tribunal Appeal over Sermon

August 4, 2017, United Kingdom

A Christian prison worker has lost his latest appeal in the courts over his discipline by HMP Littlehey. Rev Barry Trayorn who worked as a gardener, but volunteered in the chapel, fell into trouble after delivering a talk to prisoners about homosexuality and sin. Following a complaint, he was disciplined then later resigned. In 2016, an employment tribunal ruled that his employers acted within the law. A judge confirmed in August 2017 that ruling was fair, claiming his words could "legitimise mistreatment of homosexual prisoners." Trayhorn will take his case to the Court of Appeal.

Mosaic of the Virgen del Carmen de Huelin Vandalized

July 31, 2017, Spain

The popular ceramic mosaic of the Virgin Mary and Jesus child located on the beach promenade in the Huelin neighborhood of Malaga was damaged by vandals for the second time in four months and 15 days after having been repaired.

Knife Attacker in Hamburg Wanted to Kill Christians and Young People

July 28, 2017, Germany

One person died and seven were injured in Hamburg on July 28, 2017 when a 26-year-old Palestinian ("Ahmad A.") attacked people with a knife in a Edeka market in Hamburg-Barmbek. The attacker, who lived in a refugee home, was known by authorities to have been radicalized and said his goal was to "kill Christians and young people" and die as a martyr.

German Greens Created "Anti-Feminist" Wiki; Targeted Christian Public Figures

July 28, 2017, Germany

The Heinrich-Böll-Stiftung, the foundation of the German Green Party, created a website called "Agent*In" that listed individuals and organizations said to be "anti-feminist" in order to better find and combat them. The majority of the persons and organizations listed were Christians or Church organizations. After public criticism, the website was temporarily taken offline.

Statue of Saint Beheaded in Neusiedl am See

July 27, 2017, Austria

Unknown perpetrators broke off and stole the head from a 300-year-old statue of Saint Rosalia in the middle of the main square of the town in Burgenland. Police initiated an investigation after local residents discovered the vandalism on July 27, 2017.

Attempted Arson by Molotov Cocktails at Dresden Church

July 27, 2017, Germany

In the early morning hours of July 27, 2017, unidentified individuals threw two Molotov cocktails at the evangelical Martin-Luther-Kirche in Dresden resulting in at least 1,000 euros in damage. Police are investigating.

Vandalism in the Cathedral of Ibiza

July 27, 2017, Spain

Police arrested a young man after he struck a tombstone in the cathedral with a hammer and painted the words “Vergonya ke sagna” (Shame that bleeds) in red. The tombstone lists names of those killed at the beginning of the Civil War in 1936. A nun observed the vandalism and told a priest, who with the help of a French tourist, tried to hold the attacker to prevent him from fleeing. After an investigation, the police arrested him for a crime against religious sentiments and disrespect for the deceased.