All cases
Ireland aproves 'buffer zones' that limit Freedom of Assembly, similar to those in England and Wales
June 29, 2023, IrelandOn the 29th of June, the Irish Government approved legislation to introduce 100-metre buffer zones around abortion clinics similar to those already in place in Northern Ireland and with the PSPO's and the Public Order bill in England and Wales. In the same way as in the UK, the legislation does not distinguish between harassment and peaceful activism such as silent prayer or mere physical presence inside the buffer zone.
Organ Damaged In German Church
June 29, 2023, GermanyBetween the 29th of June and the 6th of July the organ in the Herz Jesu church in Völklingen was damaged: tea lights were thrown against the pipes causing dents. The estimated damage is around 4000 euros. The police have started an investigation.
San Antonio Abate Church smeared with disparaging writings
June 29, 2023, ItalyThe exterior walls of the church of San Antonio Abate in the Roman suburb Cerveteri were smeared with disparaging writings, as was reported on June 29. The graffiti contained swearwords and the sentence "Nobody dies a virgin."
Church in Marseille Vandalised with Anti-Christian Tags
June 28, 2023, FranceThe evangelical church Philadelphia in Marseille was found ransacked on Wednesday, June 28th. The prayer room was destroyed with doors and windows fractured as well. On top of material damage, the tags speak of the anti-Christian nature of the attack: "Jesus is not God" and "Mohammed was the last prophet" were found written on the walls. The pastor has filed a complaint. It is unclear whether the attack is connected to the recent civil unrest in France.
New Sex-Ed Legislation in Northern Ireland Threatens Freedom of Religion
June 28, 2023, United KingdomOn the 28th of June, 2023, the UK government voted to introduce a new mandatory curriculum on sex and abortion in Northern Ireland, which includes education on the prevention of early pregnancy and how to access an abortion. This legislation has met with worry about the freedom of conscience and religion in Northern Ireland. Right To Life UK spokesperson Catherine Robinson said: "This legislation will likely put teachers and parents who oppose abortion in a very difficult situation.”
Theft of liturgical objects and consecrated hosts from church in Sicily
June 27, 2023, ItalyOn June 27, thieves broke into the tabernacle of the Church Parrocchiale Maria Santissima Addolorata in Grottasanta district in Siracusa, Sicily, thereby damaged the tabernacle, and stole the pyx with the consecrated hosts, the reliquary with the main host and a crucifix that was next to the altar.
UN Anti-Discrimination report Proposes to limit religious Freedom
June 25, 2023, InternationalThe so-called SOGI report from the UN, made public on the 15th of June, proposes to limit freedom of conscience and religious freedom, to avoid discrimination against the LGBT community. The National Council of Evangelicals of France (CNEF) expressed worry about the implications of this report in a statement, which has also been supported by the World Evangelical Alliance and the European Evangelical Alliance.
Man Commits Series of Thefts in Churches throughout England
June 24, 2023, United KingdomA man has been arrested after stealing from churches since the 1970s. He raided collection boxes in churches in Berkshire, Buckinghamshire, Kent and Oxfordshire. Between May and August, the man, identified as Mr Coulthard, stole more than £6,000 in cash from at least three churches. Coulthard, 61, was arrested in Radley, Oxfordshire, in September after a member of the public recognised him as the man caught on CCTV stealing from the village church's collection box in June. Following his arrest, Coulthard confessed to being a repeat church burglar and admitted that he had been stealing from churches since the 1970s.
Azerbaijani government forcibly converts Armenian church into mosque
June 23, 2023, ArmeniaAccording to the State Service for the Protection of the Historical Environment of the Republic of Artsakh, Azerbaijan is converting the Holy Ascension Church of Berdzor into a mosque. The church in Nagorno-Karabakh was designed by Hrachya Gasparyan, and the construction of the temple was finalised in 1998.
GOOD NEWS: German Court upholds freedom of assembly: prayer group can pray near abortion facility
June 22, 2023, GermanyOn the 20th of June, the Federal Administrative Court in Leipzig ruled that blanket bans against peaceful prayer gatherings near abortion organisations were impermissible. With this ruling, the legal issues end for a local prayer group in Pforzheim, which are challenging the bans since 2019. Germany’s highest administrative court has protected freedom of assembly, but Federal minister for Family Affairs Lisa Paus is planning to introduce censorship zones around abortion organisations.
Recurrent Vandalism and Damages in Dielheim Church
June 22, 2023, GermanyIn a large-scale act of vandalism in the St-Cyriak-Kirche in Dielheim, discovered on the 22nd of June, the glass of a candlestick was broken as were numerous candles, the contents of a first-aid kit were scattered on the floor, a holy water font was emptied and self-painted pictures of the first communion soaked with water. The damage is estimated to be around 3000 euros. This current case of vandalism has moved the parish council to go to the police and limit the opening hours of the church. The church has seen smaller acts of vandalism before, including broken windows or candles, but something of this scale hasn't occurred since 2017.
Youth Gang Sprinkle Each Other with Holy Water and Shout "Allah Akbar" in Nice
June 20, 2023, FranceOn June 20, in the church of Saint Roch in Nice, a group of young people entered the place and sprinkled themselves with Holy Water and then one of them shouted "Allah Akbar", which can be considered a threat, as this shout is used by Islamists during attacks. The incident was reported to the first deputy mayor responsible for security, Anthony Borré, who said he would take the matter "very seriously".
Pectoral Cross of Benedict XVI Stolen from Church in Traunstein
June 19, 2023, GermanyThe papal pectoral cross of Pope Benedict XVI was stolen on June 19 during a break-in at the Traunstein city church of St. Oswald. The perpetrator broke open an exhibition display case to steal the cross. Pope Benedict XVI bequeathed the pectoral cross to St. Oswald's Church after his retirement in 2013. The cross holds immense value to the Catholic community in Traunstein, and investigators are still searching for it.
Northamptonshire Councillor Cancelled and Suspended for Tweet About Pride
June 19, 2023, United KingdomChristian Councillor King Lawal, who has been a councillor at North Northamptonshire Unitary Council for two years, was cancelled by seven organizations and suspended by the Conservative party pending an investigation over his tweets. His tweets commented on an LGBT pride parade that included naked men illegally parading through the streets in front of children. On June 19, he tweeted: "When did Pride become a thing to celebrate? Because of Pride Satan fell as an archangel. Pride is not a virtue but a sin." On the same day he posted the tweet, he was contacted by the leader of North Northamptonshire Unitary Council who told him that he was suspended for 21 days pending an investigation. On July 3, a local authority that held a substantial council contract with Cllr Lawal's family business ordered an urgent meeting. The family business was told that unless Cllr Lawal was removed immediately as director, their contract would be withdrawn. Under potentially illegal pressure, Cllr Lawal resigned from his own company. Supported by the Christian Legal Centre, Cllr Lawal instructed his lawyers to prepare legal action alleging multiple violations of his rights to freedom of speech and freedom of religion. On October 26, at a full council meeting, Cllr Lawal was reinstated. After being suspended for 3 months, Cllr Lawal said he was "relieved" but the Conservative party had still not dropped the complaint against him.
Church Windows Smashed in Spiesen-Elversberg
June 18, 2023, Germanyunknown perpetrators destroyed several windows of a Catholic church in Spiesen-Elversberg in the Neunkirchen district.
Vandalism: Church window smashed twice
June 17, 2023, GermanyDuring the night of 16 to 17 June, unknown persons smashed the historic stained glass window of the Protestant church in Neuenrade. The time can probably be narrowed down. At around 2.40 a.m. a "considerable impact noise" was heard. The police confirmed at the time that stones, possibly beer bottles, had been thrown at the window. The damage is estimated at 7000 euros.
Sacred objects stolen from Yorkshire church
June 17, 2023, United KingdomSacred objects stolen from the church of Bilton-in-Ainsty in Yorkshire, England, on July 17, including two patens and a 16th-century cruet, have been recovered and returned to the parish.
Religion Teacher receives Threats
June 15, 2023, PolandOn June 15, 2023, insults and threats were directed at one of the religion teachers at Primary School No. 35 in Toruń, who was organising a series of lessons for children under the slogan "Feel the chemistry of Jesus".
Feminist Group Paints over Fresco of Jesus in Church in Geneva
June 14, 2023, SwitzerlandA group of women desecrated a fresco of Jesus and the apostles on June 14 at the Plainpalais Church in Geneva. The group, called "The Red Tents", gained access to the chapel of the Plainpalais Church. They used pink and purple paint to add women, draw breasts on a saint, and paint male genitals on the fresco. They also painted symbols of Venus and Mars on Christ's dress.
Ciborium with consecrated hosts stolen
June 14, 2023, FranceOn June 14, 2023, a ciborium containing consecrated hosts was stolen from the Notre-Dame church in Rocheservière (Vendée). Parishioners expressed worry over the sacrilegious theft.