All cases
Court Finds Discrimination against Jehovah's Witness
March 22, 2017, SwedenThe Swedish Court of Appeals concluded that a Jehovah's Witness was discriminated against on the basis of his religious convictions by the public Job Center (arbetsförmedlingen).
Thirty-two Graves Desecrated at the Batignolles Cemetery in Paris
March 20, 2017, FranceBetween 16 and 20 March, 2017 during the night, 32 graves - mostly Christian - were excavated and searched. Officials presume the perpetrators were looking for valuables. A thorough inspection of the cemetery of 15,000 graves, on about ten hectares, was carried out. Surveillance of the premises was strengthened.
Anti-Christian Crimes Recorded as "Islamophobia"
March 18, 2017, United KingdomFreedom of Information inquiries made by the Network of Sikh Organisations revealed that the London Metropolitan Police recorded 1,227 incidents of Islamophobic hate crime in 2016, but in 57 of these incidents the victim was not contacted, in 86 the religion of the victim was unknown, and 85 of the reported cases were ‘blank’. 19 Hindus, 11 atheists, 43 Christians and four Sikhs were victims.
Basilica in Valencia Vandalized
March 17, 2017, SpainThe Basilica of the Mare de Deu dels Desamparats was vandalized with offensive graffiti on the walls and black paint thrown on the mosaic of the Virgin Mary over several days, beginning during the night between March 11th and 12th. Citizens, as well as the Archbishop, denounced the acts.
Mother and Son Arrested for Church Theft
March 16, 2017, SwitzerlandPolice in Givisiez arrested a 46-year-old woman and her 27-year-old son for the theft of donation boxes from a chapel in Bulle and two churches in Freiburg.
University Students Want Pro-Life Posters Removed
March 16, 2017, United KingdomAberdeen University students petitioned to have a pro-life poster removed from campus, claiming it was “actively harmful” to women. The Catholic chaplaincy on the campus displayed posters for a 40 Days of Life event, featuring people holding signs and prayer vigils outside the city’s maternity hospital during Lent.
Muslims Encouraged to Marry Christians to Spread Islam in Spain
March 15, 2017, SpainHundreds of posters were hung around the El Raval neighborhood of Barcelona encouraging Muslim men to take Christian wives, saying that they were permitted and encouraged to marry "honest and chaste women of the Book" (meaning Christians) for the purpose of increasing the population of Muslims in the region. The posters read "Brother, join in alliance with a Spanish woman, teach her that Islam is the only true religion. Islamic law dictates that the fruits of this alliance will follow Islam, which will further strengthen our community." It appears these posters are part of the "right-to-return" movement to "Restore Al-Andalus" -- that is, Muslim Spain.
Polish Universities Cancelled Pro-Life Speaker After Protests
March 14, 2017, PolandIn early March, the legal advocacy group Ordo Iuris and several student organizations invited Rebecca Kiessling, an American pro-life speaker, to give speeches at several universities in Poland. While all of the universities had initially agreed to hold the events, they abruptly cancelled the events or modified the format, after leftist groups protested.
Man Arrested for Church Vandalism
March 14, 2017, LuxembourgOfficials were called when smoke was seen coming from the church of Bettembourg. When they arrived they found a man had set fire to flags inside the church and had destroyed statues and other objects. Motive is not clear and an investigation is underway.
Court: Employers May Prohibit Employees from Wearing Religious Symbols
March 14, 2017, European Institutions (EU, ECHR, et.al.)On March 14, 2017, the European Court of Justice put employers' interest in "neutrality" above employees' exercise of religious freedom in a landmark judgment. The Court ruled that employers can prohibit the visible wearing of any political, philosophical or religious sign in the workplace.
Las Palmas Prosecutor Investigating Performance of Drag Queen as Christ
March 13, 2017, SpainAt the request of the Association of Christian Lawyers, the prosecutor's office initiated a criminal investigation of the performance of a "drag queen" dressed as the Virgin Mary and then as Jesus Christ during the Carnival celebrations. The office stated that because Carnival is so closely related to the Christian observance of the beginning of Lent, the performance was intentionally offensive to religious feelings. The Bishop's Conference called it "blasphemous."
Attempted Arson at Church in Nantes
March 12, 2017, FranceIn the evening of March 12th, firefighters were called to the Church of Saint-Luc after unknown perpetrators set fire to the outside wall of the church using combustible materials they had placed against the outer wall. The fire was described as "intense," but firefighters, police and two CRS buses arrived quickly and were able to subdue the fire and minimize the damage.
Arson in Church in Puget-Ville
March 12, 2017, FranceThe Church of the Immaculate Conception was vandalized and the victim of arson on March 12th. Father Eloi Legrand, calling it a profanation, reported that the altar linen was set on fire, candle wax spread on the altar and throughout the church, and items of devotion were broken and scattered in the church. The gendarmerie have found a small hand print and Father Legrand filed a complaint.
Man Arrested for Theft from Donation Boxes from Lambach Church
March 10, 2017, FranceA 30-year-old man was arrested after police were alerted. He was found with cash and tools used to retrieve money from the boxes: a long rod with double-sided tape.
The Local Police Hate Crime Unit in Palma Investigate Multiple Acts of Vandalism against Churches
March 9, 2017, SpainThe Local Police Hate Crime Unit in Palma is investigating various acts of vandalism committed in recent months against several churches in the Balearic capital.
Government in Valencia Attempted to Stop Religion Lessons in Schools
March 9, 2017, SpainThe Ximo Puig Government in Valencia created obstacles for the hiring of new teachers of religion by introducing new certification requirements. One affected teacher said, "three weeks ago, on the spot and without written notice," the Ministry of Education of the Valencian Community informed the Archbishopric of Valencia that all new teachers of religion must have the CAP (Certificate of Pedagogical Attitude ), or to have completed a Master's Degree in Teacher Training in Secondary Education, Baccalaureate, Vocational Training, and Teaching of Languages. This is in addition to the certificate known as DECA (Document of Ecclesiastical Suitability), provided by the Spanish Episcopal Conference.
Regional Government of Andalucía Cancels School Procession for Holy Week
March 8, 2017, SpainSchool children in Dos Hermanas, Seville, were prohibited from celebrating their usual children's Holy Week procession by the regional government. The government claimed it cancelled the event because of time constraints, but parents of the affected children insist it was cancelled due to a complaint by a secular association.
Leftists in Seville Seeks to Change the Coat of Arms
March 8, 2017, SpainThe Izquierda Unida (United Left) coalition in Seville wishes to change the coat of arms of the city as they say that its image is "not a representation of democracy" in the 21st century. Currently, the coat of arms is an image of King Fernando III, canonized as a saint, flanked by St. Isidore and St. Leander. The word "Mariana" also appears on the shield, added by Franco to represent the city's devotion to the Virgin Mary.
The Mayor of Zarazoga Prohibits the Traditional Firefighters Mass
March 8, 2017, SpainThe Mayor of Zarazoga and the local coalition government prohibited the Firefighters to continue with their tradition to celebrate Mass in their firehouse for the feast of San Juan de Dios.
Columnist Calls Immigration Minister's Crucifix Necklace a Symbol of Xenophobia
March 6, 2017, NorwaySven Egil Omdal, a veteran journalist and editor who currently works as a commentator for newspaper Stavanger Aftenblad, noted that Sylvi Listhaug, Norway’s government minister in charge of immigration and asylum issues, had been wearing a cross necklace much more often than in the past. “Am I claiming that she uses the cross as a political statement to appeal to that strange group who thinks that fear of foreigners is a Christian virtue?” Omdal queried on social media. “Yes, that’s basically what I’m doing.”