All cases
Priest stabbed on the street in Ireland
August 16, 2024, IrelandOn August 16, in the morning an attacker brutally stabbed Fr. Paul Murphy from Waterford on his way to the Defence Force barracks in Galway, where he works as an army chaplain. Soldiers from the barracks had to open fire on the attacker. The priest is now in a serious condition.
Chalices stolen from two churches
August 16, 2024, FranceTwo churches in the Lot département suffered thefts of sacred objects on August 16 and 17, in Saint-Jean de Laure and Concots. These are the 4th and 5th thefts since the start of the year 2023 - and the 15th and 16th since the series of thefts began previous year.
Stone cross destroyed by vandals on Christian Feast Day
August 15, 2024, FranceOn the night of 15 August (the Catholic Feast Day of the Assumption Mary), vandals destroyed an important stone cross in Tréport, France. The stone cross is more than 400 years old and was declared a historical monument in 1913.
Vandalism at Kassel Church causes extensive damage
August 15, 2024, GermanyA safety-glass extension that served as a side entrance to the church was destroyed. Police are searching for the unknown perpetrators. Between the evening of 15 August and the morning of 16 August 2024, unknown perpetrators caused an estimated €8,000 in damage to St Martin’s Church in Kassel. The vandals deliberately shattered a 2 x 3 metre safety-glass panel at a side entrance to the church, likely using a pointed object.
Two churches closed due to increased vandalism
August 14, 2024, GermanyDue to repeated acts of vandalism, two churches in Bodenfelde and Uslar have had to close their doors outside of worship hours. The churches have been the target of various attacks, including broken windows, arson and an altar being defaced with swastika graffiti.
Repeated Vandalism at Bertesina Church
August 12, 2024, ItalyIn August 2024, unknown vandals damaged the Church of Bertesina (Vicenza) by smashing several high-set stained glass windows, likely by throwing stones. The attack was reported in the parish bulletin and occurred shortly after the church had completed the restoration of statues above the main entrance—an effort that had cost €3,500.
Terrorist attack had Church as Primary Target
August 12, 2024, TurkeyIn early 2025, an 18-year-old man was arrested in Eskişehir, Turkey, after carrying out a stabbing attack that injured five people in a local café. According to Turkish media outlet T24, the suspect had initially planned a terrorist attack on a nearby church but changed his target at the last minute, opting instead to attack civilians in a coffeehouse.
Parishioners Shocked after Vandals Smash Statue
August 7, 2024, United KingdomA statue of Mary outside St Joseph Church in Wembley in the Diocese of Westminster, was smashed into pieces in the night of August 7, leaving behind the empty plinth. The parishioners are shocked. Police presence around the church will be reinforced.
Young man records anti-Christian video inside church
August 6, 2024, ItalyA young Muslim man posted a video in Arabic on TikTok that he had recorded in a church in Milan. In the video, he asked an elderly woman if she was a Christian, then wished her death and cursed another woman in the same church.
Repeated Cross Vandalism: Figure of Jesus Cut into Pieces
August 5, 2024, PolandOn August 5, a cross in the fields of the Polish village Kościuki was vandalised again, following two previous incidents. This time, the vandals also cut up the figure of Jesus, which was attached to the cross, and threw the pieces in the bushes. The local community is shocked about the anti-religious hatred displayed by the act.
Theft of consecrated hosts in Porto Recanati
August 5, 2024, ItalyOn the evening of August 5, unknown persons entered the church of the Most Precious Blood in Porto Recanati and, after forcing the tabernacle, took the hosts that had already been consecrated and were kept inside. During their escape, the thieves abandoned a chalice on the street. The parish priest alerted the police. Nothing else was stolen from the church.
Christian Activists unlawfully arrested in Paris
August 5, 2024, FranceOn August 5, Parisian police arrested six Christians who were on a bus labelled with “Stop attacks on Christians” driving around Paris to bring attention to the Last Supper parody at the Paris Olympics opening ceremony and its anti-Christian message.
French Church vandalised: Tabernacle set on fire
August 4, 2024, FranceIn the church of Saint-Pierre in Lège-Cap-Ferret, Nouvelle-Aquitaine, the tabernacle was set on fire during the night of August 4. Furthermore, religious materials were smashed on the ground. The church will remain closed during the restoration. The police have started an investigation.
Pastor attacked while praying for protestors
August 4, 2024, United KingdomA member of the Baptist church in Middlesborough was attacked by far-right protesters as he prayed alongside a rally on 4 August.
Man sets fire to door of Birštonas church
August 3, 2024, LithuaniaA 22-year-old man poured flammable liquid on the door of the church on the night of 4 August, set fire to it and smashed the glass above the main entrance door with a stone.
Immaculate Conception Statue Destroyed
August 3, 2024, SpainA statue of the Immaculate Conception was found shattered outside a school in Los Palacios just hours before the town’s major religious celebration.
Concerns over Application of French "Abuse of Weakness" Law
August 1, 2024, FranceThe trial for “abuse of weakness” of the Catholic Missionary Family of Notre-Dame (FMND) raises concerns about the application of the recently amended French “anti-cult” law. At the trail, the experts solicited by the investigators presented some of basic principles of religious communities, such as the vows of poverty, chastity and obedience, or silence and parts of the Catholic catechism, as “means of submission”.
Elderly woman attacked and robbed while praying in church
August 1, 2024, GermanyOn August 1, a 40-year-old man violently pushed an elderly woman who was praying in St. Peter and Paul Catholic Church to the ground, kicked her and took her bag. As a result of the attack, the woman suffered a laceration to her head and was taken to hospital where she was stitched up.
Rengsdorf church vandalised with stones
August 1, 2024, GermanyAs reported in September 2024, the Catholic Church of St Kastor in Rengsdorf, Rhineland-Palatinate, was again the target of vandalism in early August. In a recent incident, unknown persons threw stones at the church, breaking three large stained glass windows facing the street. A window to the sacristy and a display case were also damaged.
"Distressing" vandalism to church roof
August 1, 2024, United KingdomThe Church of the Holy Trinity and All Saints in Winterton has been badly damaged in what the parish has described as a "disturbing" case of vandalism. Vandals climbed onto the roof and removed parts of it, leaving the stones beside the church. Some services had to be disrupted because of the damage.
Desecration in Lege
August 1, 2024, FranceThis summer in Lège, a parish was desecrated. The tabernacle was broken and the Blessed Sacrament was targeted.
Volunteers Detained for Peaceful Pro-Life Leafleting
August 1, 2024, NetherlandsVolunteers from the Christian pro-life group Kies Leven have repeatedly been detained while peacefully distributing leaflets outside abortion clinics in the Netherlands. The group insists their presence is non-confrontational and aimed at offering support to women.
Mayor Break-In Causes Severe Damage to Church
July 31, 2024, PolandOn July 31, three men broke into a church in Szydłów and caused €700 worth of damage.
Religious statue beheaded inside Scalini church
July 31, 2024, ItalyOn July 31, vandals partially forced open the front and outer doors of the sacristy of the church of Scalini, a hamlet of Arsiero, destroyed a plaster statue of St. Anthony holding the Infant Jesus, decapitated both figures, threw furniture on the ground, attempted break into the donation box, broke a stained glass window in the apse, and tore down a microphone.
19 Cemeteries vandalised: Crosses broken off and stolen
July 31, 2024, SpainBetween May and July, a gang stole crucifixes and images from 19 cemeteries in the province of Toledo. Those responsible have been arrested.
NI Court Prosecutes Man and Woman for Praying in Coleraine "Buffer Zone"
July 30, 2024, United KingdomIn Northern Ireland, a court is set to rule on the case of a woman and a man who were arrested for praying inside an abortion "buffer zone" in October 2023. If found guilty in the current hearing, the woman who pleaded not guilty faces up to six months in prison. The police arrested them without any prior complaints about their presence on the street.
Theft and vandalism in Sant'Antonio Abate
July 30, 2024, ItalyOn the night of July 30, four young people broke into the Sant'Antonio Abate Church in Incisa Scapaccino, Asti. They broke into the entrance door, destroyed the cribs and sacred furniture, smeared the walls with spray cans and damaged the sound system for the services.
Vandals cut off hands and destroy face of statue
July 28, 2024, PolandOn the night of 27-28 July, vandals severely damaged a statue of Mary located at the entrance to the village of Kościuk. The statue's hands were cut off, a hole was punched in its head, its eyes were gouged out and its face destroyed. This was not the first act of vandalism against a religious object in the region.
Arson Suspected Delmenhorst Church: Confessional on Fire
July 26, 2024, GermanyOn 25 July 2024, a fire was discovered inside the Church of All Saints in Delmenhorst, which the parish priest suspects to be a deliberate act of arson. The fire caused damage in the confessional and forced the temporary closure of the church.
UPDATE: Christian teacher loses High Court appeal after being banned for ‘misgendering’
July 25, 2024, United KingdomJoshua Sutcliffe, a Christian maths teacher, lost his High Court appeal case after being banned from teaching for "misgendering" a pupil. The judge said that “just because misgendering a transgender pupil might not be unlawful does not mean that it is appropriate conduct for a teacher.”
SCOTLAND: MOST EXTREME BUFFER ZONE LAW COMES INTO FORCE
July 25, 2024, United KingdomOn 22 July 2024, Scotland's highly restrictive abortion 'buffer zone' law came into force, creating a 200-metre zone around abortion facilities where it will be an offence to 'influence' the decision of anyone entering the facility. Offences include acts committed on private property if the act “is capable of being seen or heard by another person who is within the safe access zone“.
Vandalism in a historic altar in the St. Andreas Church in Offenburg.
July 24, 2024, GermanyOn 24 July, a 57-year-old man knocked over a historic altar in the Catholic St Andrew's Church on Fischmarkt. The damage is estimated at tens of thousands of euros. Investigators are still trying to establish the background to the crime.
New Survey finds Christians in Scotland under pressure
July 23, 2024, United KingdomAccording to an opinion poll by the think tank “Logos” published in The Herald on July 23, Christians in Scotland feel “excluded”. More than 70% feel the Scottish Government does not support them and 75% were concerned about abuse against Christian politicians.
Teenagers Mocked Catholicism Inside a Church
July 22, 2024, SpainA group of teenagers entered a Catholic Church, disturbed the mass by mocking parts of the liturgy and yelling inside the church, and made fun of hosts, which are sacred objects for Catholics. They recorded everything and uploaded it to social media.
Church of Saint-Paul in Orne defaced with satanic graffiti
July 21, 2024, FranceIn the night of Saturday, July 20 to Sunday, July 21, vandals defaced the façade of the church of Saint-Paul in Orne, France, with satanist graffiti. The tags included inverted crosses, pentagrams, and writings such as ‘False God’, ‘Liar’, and the number ‘666’, symbolising the devil. The statues on the façade were also sprayed with red paint, adding to the seriousness of the damage.
Woman threatens priest with a cutter during mass
July 21, 2024, SpainOn Sunday, July 21, a 46-year-old woman was arrested in Tudela, Navarra, after threatening the priest who was officiating the Sunday mass and the congregation with a cutter. According to the Municipal Police of Tudela, the woman not only threatened with the cutter, but also broke the glass of the entrance door of the church by throwing a stone. This act of vandalism increased the level of alarm among those present, who quickly called the authorities.
Repeated vandalism Serres church
July 20, 2024, GreeceOn Saturday, July 20, unknown vandals desecrated the Agios Georgios church in Kato Mitrousi, Serres. The walls, door, windows and the image of Saint George at the gate of the church were desecrated with mud and coffee.
Desecration of the Icon at Tomb of Bulgarian Patriarch Neophyte
July 20, 2024, BulgariaOn July 20, an unknown perpetrator desecrated the icon of the Resurrection of Christ on the tomb of the late Bulgarian Patriarch and Sofia Metropolitan Neophyte. Pictures of the icon show severe damages.
Vandalism at St Mary's Church and cemetery in Baldock
July 19, 2024, United KingdomOn 19 July, St Mary's Church and Cemetery in Baldock was vandalised by an unknown offender, with the Rector, Rev Phillipa Maddox, reporting that 'all the windows and doors' of the church hall had been smashed. Several gravestones in the churchyard were also damaged. Police are searching for the culprits.
Damaged of Memorial lamp at the church in Delbrück-Westenholz
July 16, 2024, GermanyBetween June 28 and July 16, unknown persons destroyed the window of the memorial lamp for the dead in the shadow of the church tower of St Joseph in Delbrück-Westenholz. The parish assumes the destruction was willful and has filed a complaint with the police. This is not the first incident.
Daughter Taken Away After Parents Object to Puberty Blockers
July 15, 2024, SwitzerlandA Swiss couple is taking legal action after their 16-year-old daughter was taken away from the parents and put into a government shelter due to the parents' objection to the daughter's "gender transitioning". The parents also said that doctors have been trying to administer puberty blockers to their daughter without their consent. The case has sent shockwaves around the world and raises severe concerns over the protection of parental rights, including for Christians objecting to the transitioning of their children.
Islamic tags and vandalism in Parisian Notre-Dame-du-Travail Church
July 15, 2024, FranceBetween Sunday, July 14 and Monday, July 15, vandals broke into the Parisian Notre-Dame-du-Travail Church, vandalised the building and left a number of Islamic anti-Christian graffiti, like "Submit yourselves to Allah infidels" and a knife planted in the throat of a statue of Mary.
Historic Cross Destroyed on Medieval Bridge in Le Monastère
July 14, 2024, FranceA centuries-old Christian cross atop a bridge in Le Monastère, France, was broken by an unidentified vandal.
Thieves behead Statue of Jesus and Steal Money from Shrine
July 13, 2024, ItalyOn Saturday, July 13, unknown perpetrators broke into the sanctuary of the Madonna della Grotta, stole over 500 euro and beheaded the statue of the infant Jesus.
Repeated Arson Attack on St. Benedikt church in Eisenharz
July 13, 2024, GermanyOn July 13, fire was set to the church of St. Benedikt in the Allgäu community of Argenbühl-Eisenharz (close to Isny, Ravensburg district). This is already the second arson attack on the church this year. When the fire brigade arrived three pews were burning brightly, but the fire brigade was able to extinguish the fire quickly. However, according to initial estimates by the Catholic parish, severe damage was caused. The church is completely covered in soot.
Young Christians attacked on Lake Constance while preaching
July 12, 2024, GermanyOn Wednesday afternoon, July 12, a group of young Christians aged between 16 and 23 were attacked on Lake Constance while they were reading bible verses over a megaphone on a rental boat.
Damage church window in Marktstrasse
July 11, 2024, GermanyBetween July 7th and 11th, unknown persons damaged a window pane at the church in Marktstrasse. The window was apparently wilfully smashed. A witness noticed the damage, estimated at 300 euros, and called the police.
Man drives a truck into Austrian free church
July 8, 2024, AustriaOn Monday evening, July 8, a man drove a truck into the Pentecostal Elim Church in Brunn am Gebirge, Austria. According to the police, this was a deliberate attack. The man confessed that he had acted out of anger, the perpetrator, however, is not known to the church.
Outdoor Cross Vandalised with Graffiti
July 5, 2024, SpainThe legal group "Abogados Cristianos" announced they may pursue legal action after the Ribalta cross in Castellón was attacked again.
Vandalism in the First Parish Unitarian Church
July 4, 2024, United KingdomOn 4 July, a 43-year-old man vandalised a church in Kingston, causing damage estimated at hundreds of thousands of dollars. Police subsequently arrested the man without bail.