All cases
Case opened over the the Burning of a Cross in La Coruña
June 1, 2023, SpainOn June 1st, the provincial prosecutor's office of La Coruña opened a case over the burning of a cross in La Toleira of Neda, following a complaint by the organisation of Christian Lawyers. The lawyers' organization indicates that BNG (Galician nationalist party) members were responsible for the incident. They are being charged with possible hate crimes, offending religious feelings, offending historical heritage and illegal demonstrations. The Prosecutor's Office is asking the police to identify those involved in the reported act and the person(s) responsible for the fire.
Mayor tears down memorial cross two days after losing elections
May 31, 2023, SpainThe mayor of Barrado, a town in the province of Caceres, tore down the cross dedicated to the 'fallen' of the Spanish Civil War on May 31, after having lost the municipal elections two days before. The politician, a member of the Spanish Socialist Workers' Party (PSOE), justifies his decision on the 'Democratic Memory Law' but the foundation Abogados Cristianos considers it an attack on Christians and is considering legal action.
Vandalism with rubbish and excrement at Church in Lucerne
May 30, 2023, SwitzerlandOn the 30th of May, the online news site Kath.ch reported that the front of St. Luke's Church in Lucerne, had been vandalised by people leaving rubbish and excrement.
Virgin Mary Statue Beheaded in Corsica
May 29, 2023, FranceA statue of Our Lady of Lavasina installed on the seafront of Ajaccio in Corsica was found decapitated on May 29th. The statue was used in processions in the parish of Saint-Jean-Baptiste in Ajaccio. This is the fourth act of anti-Christian vandalism on Corsica in recent months. In April, a statuette of the Virgin Mary by Petit Capo beach was found vandalised, as well as a make-shift altar at a scout camp in Vero. A cross in Sisco was also decapitated that month.
French Church Desecrated in Cugnaux Village
May 28, 2023, FranceOn Sunday May 28, individuals broke into the church and carried out various acts of vandalism and damage to the place of worship. They tried to set fire to the church, also all the candles were knocked over, a crucifix was damaged and paintings were broken. The mayor, Albert Sanchez, strongly condemned this act of violence. In this context, local representatives called for a peaceful gathering in front of Cugnaux town hall (near the church), on May 31 at 6:30 pm to condemn all acts of violence against places of worship.
Man attacks and insults priest in Wrocław
May 28, 2023, PolandOn 28 May 2023, a man of about 30 years of age physically attacked and insulted a priest in Wroclaw. The attack took place in the morning as the priest was returning to the vicarage from the convent of the Albertine Sisters, located near the parish church of St Maurice in Wroclaw.
Church walls smeared during "Equality March"
May 27, 2023, PolandOn May 27, 2023, participants of a local "Equality March" taking place in Gdańsk spray-painted inscriptions on the facade of the historic St. Elizabeth Church in Gdańsk.
Free speech and rule of law under threat in Ireland’s new "hate offences" bill
May 26, 2023, IrelandOn April 26, the lower house of the Irish Parliament passed what could be the most extreme hate speech law in Europe, with critics saying that it is in fact a 'thought crime' bill. The text of the bill makes the possession of material considered 'hateful' against certain groups a crime punishable with jail, and the burden of proof is shifted to the accused, who is expected to prove they didn't intend to use the material to "spread hate".
Attempted Theft and Assaults on three Christians
May 26, 2023, SpainOn 26 May 2023, a man was arrested after attempting to steal a chalice, and assaulting three parishioners in the Church of San James Apostle, in the city of Orihuela.
Graveyard and Church Defaced in Blackfairs Walk
May 25, 2023, United KingdomVandals targeted the Auld Kirk of Ayr in Blackfriars Walk on the evening of May 25. Grave stones were painted, rude imagery was drawn over stained glass windows and profanity was written on an iron gate. Historic stonework, as well as a welcome sign featuring a picture of King Charles III was vandalized with red spray paint. The incident is being investigated by Ayr Police.
Church Painting Damaged through vandalism
May 25, 2023, GermanyAn oil painting inside the St Gerhard's Church in Heiligenstadt was damaged by unknown perpetrators. According to the Nordhausen police, the crime took place on the 25th of May. The vandals poured the liquid wax of a burning candle from the offering box onto the painting.
Four churches targeted by vandals and thieves and one cemetery vandalised
May 24, 2023, FranceIn May 2023, four churches and a cemetery were targeted by vandals and thieves in France.
Update: Landmark Case Bans Christian Teacher for Misgendering a Transgender Pupil
May 23, 2023, United KingdomOn May 23rd, a ruling by the Teaching Regulation Agency (TRA) in the UK banned Christian Joshua Sutcliffe from teaching altogether, after he failed to treat his pupils "with dignity and respect" by misgendering a transgender boy. This case is the first of its kind in the UK and has become international news. It goes back to 2017, when the former maths teacher at the Cherwell School in Oxford, said "well done girls" to a group of girls, where one was a transgender boy - and he later apologized. Sutcliffe was later also accused of inappropriately sharing his Christian beliefs.
Vandals locked out Priest and Vandalize his Church
May 23, 2023, PolandIn Malnia, near Gogolin on May 23rd, unknown perpetrators blocked the door to the rectory to prevent the parish priest from intervening and destroyed a statue of Mary, a statue of St. Anthony, and damaged the interior of the church. The losses made by the perpetrators were estimated at several thousand zlotys.
Vandalism and Physical Violence in Wolgast Church
May 22, 2023, GermanyOn May 22, a heavily intoxicated couple caused vandalism and violence in the St. Peter's Church in Wolgast. They couple forcibly cleared the book table and injured a visitor.
Santiago Cathedral Defaced with Graffiti
May 20, 2023, SpainThe Cathedral of Santiago de Compostela is an internationally renowned place of pilgrimage. On May 20, a graffiti displaying a penis was smeared on the cathedral’s west façade, which then got covered with a tarpaulin for cleaning purposes.
British Man Admits Plotting to Murder Street Evangelist Hatun Tash
May 19, 2023, United KingdomA 21-year-old British man, Edward Little, has pleaded guilty to preparing to commit acts of terrorism in an attack against the evangelist Hatun Tash in 2022. Little was found carrying £5,000, with which he planned to buy a firearm to kill Hatun Tash at the Speaker's Corner, a place for public debates where she frequently debates and preaches. He refused the allegations at first, but on the May 19, 2023 he admitted to planning the murder back on September 23, 2022.
Vandals Pour Red Paint Inside the Walls of a French Church
May 19, 2023, FranceOn May 19, between 3:00 and 7:00 p.m., unknown perpetrators entered the church Notre-Dame des Grâces in Revel without being detected. Once inside, they poured red paint on the walls. A depiction of Christ on the cross, a pyrographed painting of the Virgin and Child, candles and the altar were also vandalized with paint. On a wall, the word "proteste" (unclear form in French) was also written in red. The mayor considers closing the church outside worship hours due to this incident. The same happening had already taken place on May 1st, with the same acts and the word "protest" written on a wall with red paint. Back in 2018, the church in Revel had been attacked with arson.
Citizen arrested in Madrid for praying in front of an abortion clinic
May 17, 2023, SpainOn May 17, a citizen who was silently praying in front of the Dator abortion clinic in Madrid was arrested by the Spanish national police. The arrest comes as a result of the entry into force of the reform of the Spanish Criminal Code last year, which punishes praying in front of abortion clinics as it considers it 'harassment to women.'
An Exhibition in Memory of John Paul II Vandalized in Gdansk
May 17, 2023, PolandIn the Polish city of Gdansk, a Solidarity exhibition dedicated to St John Paul II before the Solidarity building in Gdansk, was vandalized on May 17. The CCTV footage shows five people destroying the exhibition boards with the Holy Father John Paul II. The crime was reported to the police.