All cases
Arson and Vandalism in Sainte-Thérèse de Poitiers
May 14, 2024, FranceOn May 14, benches were gathered in heaps and set on fire in front of the choir in the church of Sainte-Thérèse in Poitiers. Furthermore, a statue of Mary was beheaded by the vandals.
Statue of Padre Pio Vandalised at Church in Pescara
May 13, 2024, ItalyOn 13 May 2024, residents of the Colle Pineta hill in Pescara discovered that a statue of Padre Pio had been vandalised and thrown onto the asphalt outside the “Santa Famiglia” parish church, resulting in its destruction. The statue had stood near the church entrance.
Man armed with knife caught in church
May 13, 2024, PolandOn Monday, May 13, a 40-year-old man entered a church in Czaplinek with a knife while a First Communion service for children was taking place. The adult worshippers overpowered the man and called the police. The latter detained him for disrupting the service. According to witnesses, the man was dressed all in black, held a long kitchen knife and was walking towards the priest.
LibDems reported to EHRC for deselecting Christian candidate
May 12, 2024, United KingdomMore than 400 party members filed a complaint with the UK Equality and Human Rights Commission which accuses the Liberal Democrats of deselecting a candidate based on his Christian faith in breach of equality law and having tolerated a “hostile environment” for people of faith. David Campanale, an Anglican believer and award-winning former BBC journalist has been targeted by an activist group within the party who has been lobbying against him because of his Christian believes since his selection as a candidate in 2021. The campaign alleged that he had not sufficiently disclosed his faith during the selection process, which he denies, and complained that a decade earlier he had been a member of the Christian People’s Alliance (CPA).
Islamic graffiti on church wall in Vienna
May 12, 2024, AustriaNext to the entrance to the church of St. Anthony of Padua slogans written in black pen appeared on the wall. "Islam will win, with you or without," and "Deen over Dunya" ("Religion over worldly life") are just some of the numerous slogans on the wall. Some of the words have been crossed out or replaced, but the graffiti has not been removed.
Stations of the Cross Vandalised in Essen
May 10, 2024, GermanyOn Friday, 10 May 2024, unknown perpetrators vandalised six stations of the Way of the Cross on the Haniel spoil tip in Bottrop and stole four copper plates. According to the Diocese of Essen, a police report has been filed, and this is not the first time the site has been targeted.
Vandalism in Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives
May 9, 2024, FranceOn the night of Wednesday, May 8 to Thursday, May 9, Ascension Day, the abbey church of Saint-Pierre-sur-Dives was the victim of acts of vandalism. The tabernacle, where the consecrated hosts are kept, was forcefully opened, although nothing was stolen. Mass vestments were also vandalised. The parish priest, Father Donat, immediately lodged a complaint with the gendarmerie. The gendarmerie is investigating the accident.
Minors commit Arson and Vandalism at Church
May 8, 2024, ItalyWednesday May 8, minors set fire to the Catheral of Casalmaggiore and vandalised it. The boys broke into the nave on the right side of the church where they broke the stoup into pieces and started a fire with candles. They then entered from the opposite side and went into a storeroom where the electrical panel that operates the lift and installations is located. The perpetrators could be identified thanks to surveillance cameras.
Polish missionaries arrested in Belarus
May 8, 2024, BelarusOn May 8, two Polish missionaries, Fr Andrzej Yukhnievich, OMI and Fr Pawel Lemekh, OMI were detained at the parish church of Our Lady of Fatima, Šumilina in Belarus for expressing their support to Ukraine. They have been sentenced to 15 days and 10 days in prison, for “subversive activity to the detriment of the Belarussian state”.
Repeated Vandalism in St Mary the Virgin church
May 6, 2024, United KingdomOn 6 May 2025, St Mary the Virgin Church on North Shoebury Road in Essex was vandalised for the third time in recent weeks. The attack occurred just days after the church had spent £1,200 repairing damage from a previous incident.
Fourth Act of Vandalism this year in Notre-Dame church in Livry-Gargan
May 6, 2024, FranceDuring the night of 5-6 May, the tabernacle in the church of Notre-Dame de Livry-Gargan (Seine-Saint-Denis) was torn from its place and stolen.
Arson attempt in Brive
May 6, 2024, FranceSaint-Sernin church in Brive became the target of two arson attempts on May 3 and May 6. Due to lack of resources to ensure continuous surveillance, the church is now closed.
Lutheran church in Plettenberg "devastated" by vandals
May 5, 2024, GermanyOn Saturday evening, May 5, the police were called to the Lutheran Böhler church in Plettenberg, because a witness had found "people rioting" there. Upon arrival the police found that the door had been smashed in and the wooden panelling was broken. The interior was "a picture of devastation", according to reports. The baptismal font was knocked over, a candelabra was torn down and a window was damaged. The organ on the upper floor was also demolished, as were parts of the roof truss. The damage is estimated by the presbytery to be at least 50,000 euros.
Host Theft in the Church of the Holy Trinity in Louvroil
May 5, 2024, FranceOn Sunday, May 5, a parishioner was preparing the church for mass when they discovered the tabernacle empty. The host was stolen and has not since been found. The community is deeply shocked by this act of desecration.
Vandalism and desecration of the church of La Rivière-Saint-Sauveur
May 5, 2024, FranceOver the weekend of May 4 and 5, an act of vandalism and desecration of the church was revealed in the church of La Rivière-Saint-Sauveur, France. An unknown perpetrator broken stained glass, and traces of fire were present. Above all, left excrement on the stairs leading to the funeral sheet. The volunteers responsible for opening and closing the church were also frightened by these acts, which coincide with the squatting of the building at night for several months.
Evangelical church of San Giuliano attacked after Sunday service
May 5, 2024, ItalyOn Sunday 5 May, an evangelical church in San Giuliano Milanese in northern Italy was attacked by a man who tried to enter the church premises after shouting anti-Christian phrases, including "Allah Akbar", according to a local newspaper. After an unsuccessful attempt to enter the church, he smashed the window of the church entrance. He was arrested by police following the incident.
Public prayer gathering attacked in Zagreb
May 4, 2024, CroatiaA monthly public rosary prayer in the main square of Zagreb and 12 other public places in Croatia has been repeatedly attacked by activists from the radical left. Since the politically inactive men have started gathering for rosary prayers in January 2023, aggressive political activists have started demonstrating against them, claiming that the peaceful prayer of the men would "limit women's rights".
Vandals repeatedly target Church of Gesù Liberatore
May 3, 2024, ItalyIn May 2024, repeated acts of vandalism led to the temporary closure of the oratory at the parish of Gesù Liberatore in Canosa di Puglia (Apulia region). The latest incident involved the deliberate damage of a reinforced plastic cover used to protect the outdoor stage that hosts most parish and summer youth activities.
12th century Templar Chapel vandalised
May 3, 2024, ItalyIn a disturbing act of vandalism, unknown perpetrators broke into the historic chapel of San Giacomo di Ruspaglia, situated between the municipalities of San Giorgio Canavese and San Giusto. The intruders forced open the door, smeared wax on the altar, and threw candles at the interior frescoes, causing visible damage.
Two attempted arsons in the church of St. Peter and Paul in Oberalting
May 1, 2024, GermanyBetween 22 April and 1 May, the Catholic Church of Saints Peter and Paul in Oberalting, Bavaria, suffered two arson attacks within a short space of time, in which the church's prayer book was set on fire. The local community is alarmed by these acts of vandalism, which target a sacred space for personal reflection and prayer. The police have opened an investigation into these deliberate acts of arson.