All cases
Church in Alsace severely vandalised: €10,000 in damage
April 24, 2025, FranceOn the night of 24 April, the collegiate church of Saint-Martin in Colmar was vandalised by an intruder who climbed through scaffolding, damaged sacred objects and left the church in disarray. Despite spending almost three hours inside and causing over €10,000 in damage, the perpetrator - who was caught on CCTV and reportedly under the influence of drugs - stole nothing. The incident shocked the local community and raised serious concerns about the protection of religious and cultural heritage.
Historic Chapel in Port Talbot Severely Damaged in Suspected Arson
April 24, 2025, United KingdomA historic Calvinistic Methodist Chapel in Port Talbot was severely damaged by a fire suspected to be arson.
Church closes after attacks on parish staff
April 23, 2025, AustriaThe parish of Breitenfeld has had to severely restrict access to its church following repeated violent attacks against parish workers and acts of vandalism. An unknown man attacked a parish secretary, pushing her to the ground and kicking her several times. A few days later, a 74-year-old sexton was similarly attacked, suffering injuries so severe that he had to be hospitalised for several days. Vandalism to the church building was also confirmed. As a result, the church is now only open for mass, and there is a police presence.
Parish Targeted in Paint Vandalism
April 21, 2025, GermanyBetween Sunday, April 20, and Monday, April 21, 2025, an unknown individual vandalised a church on Kirchstraße in Haren, Lower Saxony. All five entrance doors and the surrounding masonry were defaced with paint.
Church and graveyard defaced with blasphemous graffiti
April 18, 2025, United KingdomOn Good Friday, 18 April, St James' Church in Leyland, Lancashire, was vandalised with lewd images and anti-Christian messages. The graffiti included sexually graphic content, explicit blasphemy, and defaced both the church building and at least 40 gravestones in the churchyard with offensive statements such as "God is a lie".
Statue of the Virgin Mary and Altar Vandalized on Good Friday
April 18, 2025, FranceA religious site in central Les Sables-d’Olonne was found desecrated on Good Friday, prompting condemnation and restoration efforts by local authorities.
Cross Vandalized on Rzędowa Rock
April 18, 2025, PolandUnknown individuals defaced a prominent Christian cross in Zawiercie-Bzów, severing its upper arm and painting it black, prompting a police investigation.
Priest Assaulted After Good Friday Mass in Lisieux
April 18, 2025, FranceA priest in Lisieux was assaulted following a Good Friday service. Authorities have opened a judicial procedure explicitly referring to violence committed on religious grounds.
Church Benches Vandalised in Iserlohn
April 15, 2025, GermanyA group of young people deliberately damaged wooden benches at the Oberste Stadtkirche in Iserlohn, according to a police report. A witness saw the group fleeing — some towards the train station, others towards Unnaer Straße.
Religious Statue Destroyed in Vandalism
April 15, 2025, PolandIn Warsaw’s Praga-Północ district, vandals attacked a statue of Mary located near the Church of Our Lady of Loreto. Using a hammer, they destroyed the figure’s face and hands. The incident shocked local residents.
Religious Statue Targeted
April 14, 2025, PolandA statue of the Virgin Mary was deliberately knocked over in Pruszcz Gdański, in an act described as desecration. The incident targeted a religious figure of central importance to Catholic devotion.
Orthodox Church Desecrated and Religious Objects Damaged in Mostar
April 13, 2025, Bosnia and HerzegovinaResidents of the Raštani settlement in Mostar discovered that the Church of the Holy Great Martyr Procopius had been vandalised. Frescoes destroyed, oil lamps torn down, and sacred items - including the Gospel Book and donations - stolen.
Man Disrupts Religious Services and Targets Christian Symbol in Almería
April 13, 2025, SpainA man repeatedly disrupted religious services and insulted worshippers inside a church in Almería, while also removing a Christian banner depicting the Cristo del Mar from a nearby residence. The incidents affected both the practice of worship and visible expressions of Christian faith in the local community.
Third attack on chapel in recent months
April 13, 2025, ItalyA votive shrine in Lonato del Garda has suffered its third act of vandalism in 3 months. In the latest incident, a wooden crucifix was torn from the wall and thrown away. Previously, a statue of the Madonna had been destroyed and a crucifix depicting Christ had been stolen.
Attack on Holy Week Procession in Toledo
April 12, 2025, SpainA religious procession during Holy Week in Toledo was disrupted when a man lunged at the individual carrying the processional cross, displacing it.
Man Threatens and Insults Participants of Religious Procession in Violent Aggression
April 11, 2025, SpainA 20‑year‑old man is accused of attacking Christian worshippers, vandalising religious images, and causing disruption during Semana Santa processions in Almería’s Pescadería district in an act that the prosecutor’s office described as intended to “terrorise the Christian community”.
Man Insults Worshippers During Mass Commemoration in Gliwice
April 10, 2025, PolandA man entered the sanctuary area of a church in Gliwice, verbally abusing worshippers and using anti-Catholic insults. The incident disrupted a religious commemoration and involved actions perceived as desecration within the church.
Bible set alight on wooden altar
April 10, 2025, GermanyA Bible was set alight with a match in the Protestant church in Groß-Gerau. It was on the wooden altar, but did not burn down completely.
Protestant schools in France excluded from Erasmus+
April 10, 2025, FranceIn a written question to the European Commission, Dutch MEP Bert-Jan Ruissen raised concerns over France’s exclusion of private schools—including Protestant and Montessori institutions—from the EU’s Erasmus+ student mobility programme. He questioned how this policy aligns with the programme’s stated commitment to inclusivity for both public and private educational institutions. In its response on 10 April, the European Commission reaffirmed that Erasmus+ is designed to be inclusive. However, it ultimately placed responsibility on national authorities, stating that France is within its rights to define eligibility criteria for participation.
Statue of Saint Damaged Outside Church in Swobnica
April 8, 2025, PolandDuring the night of 7–8 April, vandals A statue of Saint Thérèse of the Child Jesus was knocked over and damaged outside a church in Swobnica, West Pomerania.. The statue was overturned and broken, shocking the local community.
Vandals damage several churches in Odenwald region
April 8, 2025, GermanyIn the Odenwald region, several churches were attacked by vandals. At a church in Schweinberg, the stucco decoration on the high altar was broken off and thrown to the ground. Vandals also left cigarette butts and damaged collection boxes.
Religious statue damaged
April 8, 2025, GermanyIn Salzgitter-Bad, unknown vandals caused damage to a local church. A statue of Mary, part of a group of holy figures, was removed and the wall damaged.
Swastika Carved into Church Door
April 8, 2025, GermanyIn Coburg, unknown perpetrators carved a swastika into the copper front door of the Protestant Church of St John. The church's showcase was also damaged. Police are investigating the case as criminal damage and the use of unconstitutional symbols and have appealed for witnesses.
Swastika Carved into Church Door in Coburg
April 8, 2025, GermanyA church in Coburg was vandalised with two swastikas and the neo-Nazi code "88" carved into its entrance door.
500-year-old altar damaged
April 7, 2025, GermanyOn 7 April, a vandal broke into the historic Abbey Church in Öhringen and seriously damaged the church's 500-year-old wooden high altar. The unknown offender broke off and destroyed the sword from a figure of the Apostle Paul and stole a valuable altar cloth.
Mass Disrupted by Pro-Palestinian Activist in Toulouse Basilica
April 6, 2025, FranceA Mass in Toulouse was disrupted when an individual entered the sanctuary area and delivered a pro-Palestinian political message during the service. The incident interrupted the religious celebration. According to a report, he was filmed by "supporters" who entered the church as well.
Church defaced with anti-Israeli graffiti
April 6, 2025, GermanyUnknown persons had written anti-Israeli graffiti on a window in the entrance area of a church in Neukölln, Berlin. Further investigation was taken over by the State Security Police.
Fire in church: Police suspect arson
April 6, 2025, GermanyUnknown persons have apparently attempted to set fire to the grounds of a church on Harffer Strasse in Neuss-Erfttal. According to initial findings, a wooden flowerpot was set alight inside the church building.
Anti-Religious Graffiti Appears on Church Wall in Göttingen
April 5, 2025, GermanyAnti-religious graffiti was sprayed on a church in Göttingen, targeting the building with an ideological message about religion.
Man Harasses Worshippers in Church in Eboli and Attacks Officers
April 5, 2025, ItalyA man entered a church in Eboli and harassed the faithful during evening prayers by aggressively demanding money. The police had to intervene.
Church Windows Broken in Vandalism in Thorembais-les-Béguines
April 5, 2025, BelgiumA church in Thorembais-les-Béguines was vandalised, with several stained-glass windows deliberately broken. The incident affected the structure of the church and prompted a police investigation.
Statue of the Virgin Mary Vandalised in Mhère
April 5, 2025, FranceA man was observed vandalising a statue of the Virgin Mary situated at a roadside calvary in the hamlet of Enfert. The incident occurred around 8:30 PM and was witnessed by a local resident. The perpetrator appeared to be recording himself during the act. The event has left the local community shocked and concerned.
Christian woman convicted for holding sign "here to talk if you want"
April 4, 2025, United KingdomA 63-year-old Christian woman, Livia Tossici-Bolt, has been convicted for breaching a Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) by holding a sign that read "here to talk, if you want" near an abortion clinic in Bournemouth. This case raises significant concerns about the impact of such orders on religious freedom and the right to free expression.
Thousands in Damages Every Month
April 4, 2025, GermanyChurches in Cologne's city centre, including the iconic Cologne Cathedral, are regularly targeted by vandals, causing thousands of euros in damage each month. Dr Dominik Meiering, the leading priest for Cologne's inner city, expressed concern about the repeated desecration, theft and graffiti, describing it as a serious burden on the Church and a threat to its public mission.
Vandals destroy shrine and cut off arms of Jesus statue
April 3, 2025, PolandUnknown perpetrators desecrated a religious site on the roadside between the villages of Podlesie and Sławno, destroying a statue of the Mary, tearing the body of a Jesus figure from the cross and breaking off its arms and damaging a painting of the Passion. The incident caused outrage among the locals.
Church crosses destroyed in Paternò
April 2, 2025, ItalyOn 2 April 2025, vandals destroyed two large crosses outside the Chiesa Madre in Paternò, Sicily. The attack follows other recent incidents in the same town, including an attempted theft of a sacred painting and verbal abuse during a Christian procession, raising serious concerns about growing hostility towards the local Christian community.
Repeated urine, faeces and riots in Mainz churches
April 1, 2025, GermanyIn recent weeks, several churches in Mainz have suffered serious acts of vandalism, including the desecration of holy water with urine and the destruction of confessional doors. These incidents have deeply distressed local clergy and parishioners, and have led to discussions about possible church closures to prevent further offences.
Church walls defaced with Swastika
April 1, 2025, GermanyBetween 30 March and 1 April, unknown persons sprayed graffiti on the walls of St Martin's Church in Hermeskeil. The graffiti included a swastika on the outside of the church.
Man smashes church windows and attacks priest
March 31, 2025, GreeceIn Volos, Greece, a man vandalised a local church by smashing its windows before attacking a hieromonk, striking him multiple times. The incident has deeply unsettled the local clergy and parishioners.
Finnish Couple Convicted for Private Prayer
March 31, 2025, FinlandOn 31 March 2025, a Finnish court convicted an elderly Christian couple of “assault” after praying with a young man about issues relating to sexuality. Despite the fact that the prayers were non-coercive and the young man had sought the support and participated in the prayers on his own initiative, the court upheld his claim that the prayers had caused psychological harm. The judgment—believed to be the first of its kind in Finland—has raised concerns about the application of criminal law to religiously motivated pastoral care and its potential implications for freedom of religion or belief.
Relic Busts Stolen from Church in Guémené-sur-Scorff in Repeated Theft
March 30, 2025, FranceTwo reliquary busts were stolen from a church in Guémené-sur-Scorff, marking the second theft targeting religious objects at the site within one month. The incident affected items of both religious and historical significance.
Desecration of crosses at the sanctuary
March 30, 2025, SpainOn the night of 29-30 March, vandals destroyed two crosses near the Sanctuary of St Michael in Aralar, in the Spanish Archdiocese of Pamplona and Tudela. This is the second attack on the site in recent months.
Anti-Christian Graffiti Discovered at Pamplona Church During Holy Week
March 28, 2025, SpainSantiago Parish in Pamplona was vandalized during Holy Week with graffiti containing anti-Christian threats, incitement to violence, blasphemous slogans, and political extremist messages.
Hateful Messages and Damage of Church Logo at Sestao Church
March 27, 2025, SpainUnknown individuals placed offensive stickers on the entrance of the Evangelical Church of Cuerpo de Cristo in Sestao, Vizcaya, displaying anti-Semitic messages and a swastika. The vandals also targeted the church's emblem, which contained Jewish symbols.
Vandalism in church
March 26, 2025, GermanyUnknown individuals entered the church on Wieslocher Straße and caused significant damage. Among other things, a plate of holy water was smashed, a microphone and its stand were knocked over, and the glass panel on the confessional door was broken. The intruders also removed a pipe from the organ and placed it on the altar. The unknown individuals then fled the church undetected.
Attempt to Ram Church Door with Vehicle in Borno
March 23, 2025, ItalyUnknown perpetrators attempted to force entry into a church in Borno by ramming the main entrance with a vehicle. The act directly targeted the church building but caused only limited damage.
Consecrated Hosts Stolen from Church in Hranice
March 23, 2025, Czech RepublicA man stole approximately 80 consecrated hosts from a church in Hranice. The incident caused shock among parishioners present at the church.
Man Damages Statue and Sets Fire to Church in Spilt
March 22, 2025, CroatiaOn 22 March 2025, in the church of St. Dominic in Split, a man damaged a statue and then started a fire on the candle stand with a gas lighter which caught fire when it was left on a candle, and the flame spread to the plastic candle holders on the stand. He is also suspected of stealing a metal gas bottle from a cupboard in the church.
Retired pastor faces trial for public worship service near abortion clinic
March 21, 2025, United KingdomClive Johnston, a retired pastor in Northern Ireland is facing trial for holding an open-air Christian service near an abortion clinic, raising serious concerns about the impact of so-called ‘buffer zone’ laws on religious freedom and freedom of expression.
Serious episodes of vandalism: Easter candle soiled with excrement
March 20, 2025, GermanySeveral churches in the Kraichgau region have recently suffered damage. Kürnbach has been the victim of vandalism twice - someone relieved himself and damaged candles and the altar bible. In Zaisenhausen, six windows were smashed with stones. In Bretten-Büchig the organ was covered with a sticky liquid.