All cases
Perpetrator Tags Church with Graffiti, Among other Vandalic acts
May 5, 2023, FranceOn May 5, 2013, graffiti was found on the Church of Lieusaint, in a suburb of Paris. The graffiti, which said: 'Vive l'Islam et la paix" (Long live Islam and Peace) was written in French and a Star of David was drawn. According to a local Muslim association, the scripture, full of mistakes, is unlikely to come from a Muslim. The Mayor strongly condemns this "proof of human stupidity". Last year, statues inside the church had been destroyed.
Priest in Pionki assaulted
May 5, 2023, PolandOn 5 May 2023, at around 1pm, an unknown man attacked 80-year-old priest Fr. Leon Czerwiński, former parish priest of the Blessed Virgin Mary Queen of Poland in Pionki near Radom.
Public prayer gathering attacked
May 5, 2023, PolandOn May 5, 2023, at around 5pm, the participants in a public rosary prayer organised by a pro-life foundation in Elbląg, were attacked. During the meeting, a masked and very aggressive man approached the people praying.
Azerbaijan has demanded the expulsion of the Armenian clergy from the Dadivank monastery in disputed Nagorno-Karabakh
May 4, 2023, ArmeniaIn the context of the current blockade by Azerbaijan on the Republic of Artsakh, the ethnic Armenian breakaway state in the Nagorno-Karabakh region, the Armenian Christians are suffering increasing threats and fear for their future. In one of the latest threats against the Christians living in the region, Azerbaijan has demanded the expulsion of the Armenian clergy from the Dadivank monastery, built in the 9th century and one of the symbols of medieval Armenia.
European Parliament: Outrage over exhibition showing explicitly sexualized Jesus surrounded by apostles
May 4, 2023, European Institutions (EU, ECHR, et.al.)An exhibition in the European Parliament showing Jesus surrounded by men dressed in leather as sadomasochistic slaves, apparently homosexuals, has provoked complaints from several MEPs and Christians in Europe. The author, lesbian Swedish photographer Elisabeth Ohlson, argues the photographs depict Christ supporting homosexual rights.
Street wall Displays insults and Hateful Messages Against Christians
May 2, 2023, GermanyA German man who was doing a bicycle tour around the Tollensee Sea in Germany, near Neubrandenburg, came across a wall displaying several hateful or disrespectful messages and insults almost entirely against Christians or Catholic Christians. He posted a picture of the display on his facebook page and informed the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians. Some of the posters on the wall say "F**k off Vatican", "Good that theologians are disappearing on their own", "Catholics are sh*t", among other things.
Arson in Steinfeld Church: Cloth Set Alight, Bible Damaged
May 2, 2023, GermanyOn May 2, 2023 between 14:00-18:00, a cloth on a stand of Saint Leodegar Church in Steinfeld, Germany, was set on fire, burning the cloth to crisp and damaging the Bible on the stand in the church.
The church of Affringues targeted by degradation
May 1, 2023, FranceDesecration was noted at the Saint-Léger church in Affringues, just reopened to the public a month ago after seven years of closure. Mass books were torn and candles crushed.
UPDATE: Christian Mayoral Candidate Wins Legal Case After Being Fired For alleged "Hate Speech"
April 30, 2023, United KingdomIn 2022, Maureen Martin, who was campaigning to become a mayor in London was sacked by her housing association employer for stating publicly that she believed in marriage between men and women. She was accused of gross misconduct for leading a "discriminatory" campaign. In April 2023, she won substantial damages following a legal challenge against her dismissal by the London & Quadrant Housing Trust (L&Q). She was supported by the NGO Christian Concern.
Public Figure of Jesus vandalised
April 30, 2023, FranceA public figure of Jesus on a cross was severely vandalised in Villalbe, France.
Vandalism on Corsica: Scout Camp Chapel and Cross Destroyed
April 29, 2023, FranceAn open-air chapel and cross situated on an eight-hectare plot of land in Vero, Corsica, was found completely knocked down and ransacked on April 29 by Father Louis El Rahi. The site was bequeathed to the church by a local resident a few years ago and was relaunched as a scouting site by Father Louis, who celebrated Palm Sunday mass there a few weeks before the incident. This is one of the four acts of anti-Christian vandalism that have occurred in Corsica in recent months. Earlier in April, a statuette of the Virgin Mary in Petit Capo was vandalised and a cross on the Saint Jean pass was decapitated. In May, another statue of the Virgin Mary was found decapitated in Ajaccio.
Cross Vandalised
April 29, 2023, PolandOn 29 April 2023, an 18-year-old man destroyed a cross on the grounds of the Roman Catholic parish of St Jadwiga in Chorzów. The perpetrator threw the granite cross from its pedestal and poured red liquid on the figure of Jesus Crucified.
Church in Schwaz sprayed with satanic graffiti
April 28, 2023, AustriaOn April 28 between 12:00 and 5:30 PM, the "Maria Himmelfahrt" parish church in Schwaz was vandalized. An inverted pentagram and the number "666" was sprayed in blue paint on the stone floor and on a confessional. The graffiti on the 500-year-old floor was in front of the altar. The perpetrators have been caught by the police.
Systematic Church Thefts: Thief caught
April 28, 2023, IrelandIn Ireland, a man was charged for a series of thefts including in several churches between 2020 and 2024. This example points to the growing problem of systematic church thefts and shows that the biggest harm for the religious communities is often not the thefts themselves, but the damage caused through break-ins. Another detrimental effect of these thefts is that parishes which cannot afford constant surveillence increasingly decide to keep their doors locked, which can be a great loss for believers who are thus prevented from frequenting local places of worship.
Cross Vandalized on Sisco, Corsica
April 27, 2023, FranceA cross on the Saint Jean pass in Sisco, Corsica, was found vandalized at the end of April. The nearly two-metre-high cross was placed on the pass more than twenty years ago by the inhabitants of Sisco.
A severe setback for Religious Freedom in Russia: The Russian Federation's Ministry of Justice will permanently close the Sova Center
April 27, 2023, RussiaOn April 27, the Moscow City Court ruled the liquidation of the Sova Information and Analytical Center, the leading organization monitoring religious liberty violations in the country. This represents a significant blow to the protection of freedom of religion in Russia.
Squatters desecrate church and threaten to damage
April 25, 2023, SpainA group of squatters identifying themselves as artists desecrated the San Roque Church in the town of Farrera. Additionally, they allegedly threatened to cause damage to the church and attempted to coerce people. Subsequently, the Bishopric of Urgel has closed the church.
Priest in Dobczyce beaten up
April 25, 2023, PolandOn 25 April 2023, a 32-year-old man physically attacked a parish priest in Dobczyce.
Jesus figure torn from cross and smashed
April 25, 2023, PolandOn the night of 25 April 2023, unknown perpetrators vandalised a roadside cross in the area of the parish of St Michael the Archangel in Ropa. They tore the figure of Jesus from the cross and then smashed it into small pieces that were scattered on the pavement.
Priest attacked outside a church
April 24, 2023, FranceAfter the Sunday mass on April 24 in Saint-Emilien church, Nantes, a young girl physically attacked an elderly priest of the SSPX fraternity shouting ‘no to the Freemasons’.
(UPDATE?) Man on Trial for Slapping Priest
April 24, 2023, BelgiumIn mid-April 2022, a man was tried in Namur for burning the Belgian flag and slapping a priest during the Te Deum on 14 November 2022. On 24 April 2023, the Criminal Court of Walloon Brabant examined two cases against a resident of Rebecq.
Man sets bible on fire and damages cross
April 23, 2023, GermanyAs reported on April 23, a man caused extensive damage of 20.000€ to a church in Stockach (Constance district) in April 2023. He damaged a statue, books and stole plates.
Chapel set on fire in Dinant
April 23, 2023, BelgiumOn Sunday night, 23 April, the fire brigade and the police were called to a fire that completely destroyed the chapel dedicated to Saint Joseph in Dinant. Arson is suspected.
Three acts of Vandalism to Churches in a Belgian Village
April 22, 2023, BelgiumIn April 2023, two acts of vandalism were committed in the church of Saint-Rémy de Profondeville (province of Namur): On 22 April, two large statues of Saint Joseph and Saint Anthony were thrown off their pedestals and smashed to the ground. A vase on a side altar was also smashed. A few days earlier, a small statue of the Virgin Mary had been torn from its pedestal and carried away.
Damages at Church in Beccles
April 22, 2023, United KingdomSt. Michael's Church in Beccles was targeted by vandals who damaged stones and moved fences. Suffolk Police said the incident occurred at some point between April 17 and 22. Damage was caused to the stonework, including to the patio terrace slabs, and safety fences were moved that were in position to safeguard and protect an area on the ground where loose stone masonry may fall from the church. The police closed the case pending further investigative opportunities. No arrests were made and no suspects were identified.
Protestant Church in Austria Target of Vandalism
April 20, 2023, AustriaOn Thursday 20th of April, the Protestant Kreuzkirche in Graz was targeted by vandals. The Austrian police were able to catch one of the perpetrators. The witness Christine Pfau was working inside the church when the attack occurred. She was preparing everything for the next service when she heard a sound noice and saw a colored smoke through the windows. The Vandals had smeared the walls, the pillars and the church doors with about 15 spray cans, scraps of smoke and paint bombs and left even more rubbish lying on the floor.
Statues stolen from three roadside shrines
April 18, 2023, PolandOn April 18, 2023, local media reported the theft of a statue of Mary from a roadside shrine in Szymanów Thefts of figurines from roadside shrines occurred in this region three times in one month (in Mokre, Szymanów and Jusaki-Zarzecka).
St Michael's Church vandalized in Suffolk
April 17, 2023, United KingdomBetween April 17 and 22, the St Michael's Church in Beccles was vandalised. Perpetrators caused damage to the masonry, to the stonework, including to the patio terrace slabs, and safety fences were moved. The Suffolk police was informed and are looking for the perpetrators.
Minsk: Seven people fined for talking about Easter in the Street
April 15, 2023, BelarusOn April 15, seven young men were fined for talking about Easter in a public street in the city centre of Minsk. The individuals, who were all Protestant, were approached by police and told that they were violating the law by "conducting missionary activities without a permit." The police fined each one about 2 months' average wages, reports Forum 18.
Statue of Mary beheaded in chapel
April 15, 2023, PolandOn 15 April 2023, a Baroque statue of the Virgin Mary from a chapel behind the church on Czerniakowska Street in Warsaw was destroyed. The perpetrator ripped the figure from its pedestal and tore off the statue's head.
Baptist Pastor Fined for “illegal missionary work” in Bryansk
April 14, 2023, RussiaOn April 14, in the Russian city of Bryansk, the Volodarskiy Magistrates' District Court penalized the pastor of the "First Church of Evangelical Christians Baptists of Bryansk" for engaging in "illegal" missionary work. He was charged with "introducing 'modern' ways of communicating in line with 'Western standards'."
Vandalism of a Cross And Jesus Figure Stolen in a small German City
April 14, 2023, GermanyOn April 14 in Menden, near Dortmund, unknown persons have tampered with the missionary cross on the church square of the Holy Cross Church. They broke off the Jesus figure and stole it. The police is looking for witnesses.
Explosives used to steals thousands of pounds of sacred silver
April 14, 2023, United KingdomTens of thousands of pounds worth of chalices and sacred items have been stolen from the Lady Saint Mary's Church in Wareham after thefts broke into the church and blew up the safe on April 14. Explosives were used for the break-in and at least 25 pieces of communion silver, including a 450-year-old Elizabethan chalice worth 30,000 pounds, were stolen. The police suspects this gang of thieves has been targeting churches across the UK.
Far-left protesters set fire to Convent of the Jacobins
April 14, 2023, FranceOn 14 April, radical far-left anti-government protesters set fire to the 14th century Jacobin monastery in Rennes, France. They also set fire to the police headquarters.
Windows of Chapel in Częstochowa broken
April 14, 2023, PolandOn the night of April 13-14, 2023, an unknown perpetrator vandalised one of the chapels on the "Way of the Blood of Christ" in Częstochowa. The vandal smashed the glass in the window and door of the chapel.
Sainte Matron Orthodox Church set on Fire
April 13, 2023, UkraineOn April 13, 3 days before the Orthodox Easter, the Orthodox Church of St. Matrona, in the village of Gouta Mezhigorskaya near Kiev, was set on fire.
Two churches severely vandalised in Angers region
April 12, 2023, FranceOn the April 12, 2023, the rector of the Sainte-Madeleine Church in Angers found his church devastated: seven statues had been beheaded or amputated, the altar was vandalized, and many crosses were too. Mr. Verchère, Mayor of the city, and Mr. Darmanin, Minister of the Interior condemned the degradation. On the 18. April, a 40-year-old with criminal records named Brahim was arrested by the police, he was also taken to a hospital for psychiatric examination.
30 Gravestones Vandalized In Church Cemetery near London
April 12, 2023, United KingdomOver three nights on April 12, 13, and 14, in Croydon, thirty gravestones have been destroyed with a sledgehammer - some graves were dating back 500 years, at a Grade I listed church. «The church is appealing for witnesses along with police who are trying to find out who took a sledgehammer to the graves. »
Statuette of Mary Damaged in Ajaccio
April 12, 2023, FranceA statue of Mary, set up eight years ago by the residents of Sevani or Petit Capo beach in Ajaccio was found vandalised on April 12th, 2023. The flowers, the pots which contained them and the candles surrounding the statue were stolen and the statue was tipped aside. This is the first incident in a row of recent anti-Christian vandalisation on Corsica.
Cross Stolen from Church in Burstall
April 11, 2023, United KingdomA 60-90cm Victorian cross and a 45cm lectern have been stolen from a locked vestry at St Mary's Church, Burstall. The theft took place between 9 and 11 April. No arrests have been made and Suffolk Police are still searching for the stolen items.
Destruction of the papal exhibition in Gdańsk
April 10, 2023, PolandOn the night of April 10-11, 2023, a group of young people (two 16-year-olds and one 18-year-old) vandalized an exhibition documenting the relations between "Solidarity" and John Paul II, located at the headquarters of "Solidarity" in Gdańsk. Vandals damaged outdoor boards with infographics about John Paul II.
Belgian Pastor Publicly Defamed and Church Vandalized
April 9, 2023, BelgiumOn the 9th of April, at night, unknown people wrote with white paint "Pa Pedophil" (paedophile pastor) on the evangelical Church of Jemelle. Pastor Grégory Zieleniec received a hateful letter in his mailbox "pedophil en liberté. Il s'agit du pasteur grégory zieleniec" (Free paedophile. This is Pastor Gregory Zieleniec). The Pastor has filed a complaint for insult, vandalism and defamation.
Man on Trial for Extortion of a Priest and Theft from a Church
April 9, 2023, ItalyLorenzo Cerquetta, 43, from Recanati, is on trial at the Court of Macerata accused of theft and extortion against the parish priest of the Church of San Flavino. The man from Recanati blackmailed the priest into giving him 200 euros under the threat of setting fire to the church. On April 9, 2023 he furthermore stole 240 euros from the priest's drawer.
Desecration of Cobeña Church
April 9, 2023, SpainIn the night of April 8 to 9, burglars desecrated the church of San Cipriano in the Madrid town of Cobeña. The burglars threw the tabernacle of the church to the ground, scattering the hosts.
Religious statues stolen from roadside shrine
April 9, 2023, PolandAt Easter 2023, an unknown offender stole the statues of Jesus and Mary from the roadside chapel in the village of Mokre (Rossosz commune).
Teacher in Sardinia suspended for 20 days for praying with her students
April 6, 2023, ItalyMarisa Francescangeli, a primary school teacher in San Vero Milis (Oristano, Sardinia), has been suspended for 20 days with a pay reduction (from 25 March to 15 April) for having made her students construct a rosary for Christmas and praying an Ave Maria and Our Father with them. The Oristano school office's decision of suspension was taken after two mothers protested. While other parents defend her, she said she will appeal the decision.
Two men urinate and defecate inside a German Church
April 5, 2023, GermanyTwo men were arrested on April 5 after having urinated inside of the St. Georg's church of Nördlingen. One perpetrator is 39 years old and the other is 41. The day before, faeces had been found in the same church. In addition, the two men attempted to break the offertory box. As the police searched the suspects' apartments, stolen goods from the previous day were found and seized.
First prison sentence for opposing Ukraine war on religious grounds
April 5, 2023, RussiaMikhail Simonov, a 63-year-old Russian Orthodox Christian, has become the first person to be imprisoned for expressing opposition to Russia's war in Ukraine on religious grounds. Simonov has been accused of disseminating false information about the Russian armed forces "based on political hatred" due to two social media posts in which he criticized Russian attacks on Kiev and Mariupol. One of the posts read "We, Russia, have become godless. Forgive us, Lord!"
Norwegian city under investigation for denying funding to Christian organisations
April 5, 2023, NorwayIn the Norwegian city of Klepp, nine council members are conducting investigations into a suspected case of religious discrimination over the funding of Christian organisations. It is suspected that organisations that adhere to the traditional view of marriage appear to be left out of the community grants.
Sacred Objects Stolen From an Italian Church
April 4, 2023, ItalyOn April 4, intruders broke into the church Santa Caterina da Siena in Coverciano (a suburb of Florence). Sacred objects, including four chalices, and two pyxins (host holders) were stolen. Also, loudspeakers and microphones have been stolen. A parish priest's helper raised the alarm when he noticed that the window of the entrance door had been smashed on Monday morning. Also, a copper gutter was partly torn off the wall. The value of the damage is yet to be estimated. The police are investigating.