All cases
Unknown Vandals Destroy Holy Water bottles in Laives Church
February 13, 2022, ItalyAbout 20 bottles of holy water, at the Laives parish church, were emptied and scattered around the churchyard on November 13th. These bottles were at the entrance of the nave for people to pick up and leave a donation. The perpetrators of the crime did not only destroy. the bottles, but they also showed complete disrespect for something of religious sentiment and then left a mess at the church property.
Extensive Fire Caused by Arson at Church in Glasgow
February 13, 2022, United KingdomThe Jackson Church of Scotland in Airdrie, a North Lanarkshire town near Glasgow, was deliberately set on fire on the morning of the 13. February. An investigation has been launched by the police, who are treating the fire as arson. According to the police, the fire was started around 3 am and the fire brigade was called around 4 am. The church building will remain closed and services have been suspended, as Kay Gilchrist, the church's reverend announced on the Twitter account of the church.
Statue Outside Church in Boitzenburg Vandalized
February 13, 2022, GermanyFor the 750th anniversary of the church in Boitzenburg, a woman, with her own money, had a wooden statue of a nun made for outside the church. The figure, which was 1.3 meters high, was found knocked over on February 2nd with its base broken. At first, the culprit was thought to be the recent storm but on further investigation, a white sticky substance was found on it which confirmed the act was done by vandals.
35 Graves Desecrated in the Ciempozuelos Cemetery in Madrid
February 13, 2022, SpainIn the beginning of February 2022, 35 graves were desecrated in the Ciempozuelos municipal cemetery. The perpetrators stole status of Christ, crucifixes and other metal and copper funerary elements that adorned the tombstones, while some of them were found broken and trampled.
Swedish Christian Teacher Fired Over Pronoun Dispute
February 11, 2022, SwedenA Swedish Christian teacher, Selma Gamaleldin, faced accusations of discrimination for refusing to address a student identifying as 'non-binary' with the gender-neutral pronoun 'hen', due to her personal belief.
Church in Königsbrunn Tagged by Unknown Vandals
February 10, 2022, GermanyUnknown perpetrators defaced the courtyard of the church "Maria Unterm Kreuz" in Königsbrunn with several tags on the 10. February. The incident was reported by the police at the weekend, they have estimated the damage caused by the graffiti at about 3,000 euros.
France: Report finds 38% Rise in Anti-Religious Violence
February 10, 2022, FranceInitial findings of a report were presented on the 10. February by French MPs Ludovic Mendes and Isabelle Florennes. They were ordered by the French Prime Minister Jean Castex to conduct a report on anti-religious attacks in France. The report found a 38% rise in anti-religious violence since 2019. Of the 1.659 anti-religious incidents in 2021, 857 were against Christians, which makes them the most targeted religion in France.
3 People Charged with Terrorist Attack Against Orthodox Church
February 10, 2022, GreeceTwo men and one women were charged with terrorism, endangering life, and damage to property after they threw a Molotov cocktail into the entrance of a Greek Orthodox church. They were expected to be part of a group called Organization Anarchist Action who have done similar attacks in the past. Thankfully this targeted attack caused little damage.
Crucifix and Commemorative Plaques Stolen from Grave in Gouvix
February 9, 2022, FranceFour commemorative plaques, a funeral medallion, and a crucifix were stolen from the La Fosse-à-Terre cemetery in Gouvix. It was the grave of a young man who's father, Georges Delannée, found the theft and was heartbroken. He said "this rekindles the pain of a father who lost a child who left too early, in the prime of life." The father has filed a complaint.
Repeated Vandalism on Eight Churches in Vicinity of Péronne
February 9, 2022, FranceEight village churches in the vicinity of Péronne were tagged in February and March 2022 - four of them on the night of 9-10 February alone - by an individual who appeared to be blaming the priest for personal reasons.The latter was finally identified and arrested, according to the local press.
Money Stolen and Organ Smashed in Church
February 8, 2022, United KingdomUnknown vandals broke into St. Mary's Church in Higham Ferres where they stole money from a large glass jar, scattered the prayer candles, and smashed the organ alter. A crowbar found in a hedge the next day was thought to be used for the ransacking. The act showed a complete disregard for the religious objects in the church.
Russian Church Painted with Z-Symbol
February 8, 2022, NetherlandsThe notice board and fence of the Saint Nikolaas of Myra Church in Amsterdam was painted several times with the pro - Russian symbol Z. The incident happened on March 8th and the service had to be cancelled due to security concerns. The Saint Nikolaas of Myra Church is Russian Orthodox but several nationalities including Ukrainians are part of the congregation. The church has raised funds for Ukrainian refugees but has remained neutral toward the war.
Unknown Vandals throw Stones at Church windows in Bernitt
February 8, 2022, GermanyStones were thrown at the church in Bernitt on February 8th. Windows on the house of worship were broken in what could only be called a vandalistic attack that caused over a thousand Euro damage. The police is investigating.
Sanctuary in Strassberg Ransacked
February 8, 2022, GermanyAs it was reported on the 8th of February, unknown perpetrators set a flower basket and several song paper sheets on fire and then spread the smouldering remains throughout the chancel of a church in Strassberg. The perpetrators also damaged the altar in the act. They caused around 100 euros worth of damage and then left with a large altar candle.
Unknown Vandals Overturn the Car of a Priest in Ibiza
February 7, 2022, SpainOn February 2nd, the car of priest Pedro Miguel López was overturned in a parking lot beside the church. It was the second time his car had been attacked, but this time, much more damage was done including seriously damaged bodywork. The police were notified of the crime.
Decapitated Sculpture of the Sacred Heart of Jesus in San Fernando
February 6, 2022, SpainIn the early hours of February 6th an act of vandalism took place in the town of San Fernando Cádiz. The sculpture of the Sacred Heart of Jesus, located in the square of the parish of Nuestra Señora de la Oliva, was decapitated. After the attack the sculpture had to be removed from its usual place. The parish, and some municipal political groups alerted the police and asked the authorities to arrest the offenders and compel them to pay for the damages caused.
Painting of a Church Defaced in Italy
February 5, 2022, ItalyA painting that was inside the church of Monterosso Calabro was defaced in the Vibonese area. The work had been donated to the parish by Professor Giuseppe Farina, a renowned artist, in memory of the baptism of his nephew and all the children of the community. The unknown perpetrator scribbled over the name of the nephew that was written on the painting around the 5th of February. The municipal administration, led by Mayor Antonio Giacomo Lampasi, strongly condemned the gesture.
Sacrilegious theft in church in Brescia: Pyx with consecrated hosts stolen
February 5, 2022, ItalyThe parish priest of Santa Maria Vittoria church in Brescia's Via Cremona reported that someone had stolen a pyx from the church tabernacle on 5 February. According to the priest, this grave incident was done by someone that knew how to move inside the church and where the tabernacle keys were saved.
New Control Mechanism for French Religious Associations to Access Subsidies
February 4, 2022, FranceA current tool has been implemented under the french anti-separatism law, which aims at reinforcing "respect of republican principles." This is the Republican Commitment Contract (CER), which was approved in 2020, and it needs to be signed by all associations, including religious ones, to have access to subsidies. While the National Council of Evangelicals (CNEF) and the Protestant Evangelical Committee for Human Dignity (CPDH) welcome the contract that seeks to uphold freedom of association and freedom of conscience, thought and religion, as well as the fight against violence, they are concerned about the practical application and interpretation of these measures by public authorities or administrations, as "some terms could be misinterpreted."
Church Door Damaged in Poland
February 4, 2022, PolandOn the night of 3 to 4 February in Bierutow, unknown perpetrators destroyed the door to the St Joseph the Spouse church in Bierutow. It is possible that the intention was to break into the church. The police are investigating who may be behind the act. The parish posted a picture of the damage on Facebook.