All cases

Cross from Tabernacle Stolen in St Gudula's Church

February 10, 2021, Germany

On February 10, between 5 pm and 6 pm, thieves stole the tabernacle cross from the high altar of St. Gudula's Church in Rhede. The case was reported to the police, which started searching for information regarding the theft.

Arson at Fulda Cathedral

February 10, 2021, Germany

People witnessed a fire at Fulda Cathedral and alerted the police, on the 10th of February. The authorities started to conduct an investigation searching for a suspect. Fortunately, no one was injured but there is no information about the amount of damage caused by the fire.

Radical Feminists Attacked Austrian Platform For Christian Democracy With Paint

February 8, 2021, Austria

On February 8th, radical feminist groups disrupted a solidarity rally, in front of the Polish embassy in Vienna, of the Platform for Christian Democracy. The Platform demands an end to the discrimination against people with disabilities and therefore wanted to demonstrate its support for the new amendment of the Polish abortion law, which denies abortion on the ground of eugenics. After interrupting the march, the perpetrators smeared the Platforms' office walls with radical feminists and insulting slogans, reading "fundamentalists abort them". The Platform filed a complaint at the police who is investigating.

Vandals Smash Windows Of Four East Cambridgeshire Churches

February 7, 2021, United Kingdom

Between 6-7 February, unknown perpetrators broke into St Peter's Church in Wentworth, St Michael and All Angels Church in Chettisham, St Mary's Church in Ely and St Andrew's Church in Witchford, smashing stained glass windows and breaking vases. Michael Ritcher, churchwarden of Chettisham Parish, said, "They broke two windows to get in - one in the vestry and another in the main church. They've done quite a bit of damage." The police is investigating.

Car of a Priest Severely Vandalised in Glasgow

February 6, 2021, United Kingdom

On February 6th, vandals demolished the car of a priest of St James the Great Church in Crookston, Glasgow. In addition to a completely smashed windscreen the car's wing mirrors were also severely damaged. According to a post in the church's Facebook group 2-3 youths have been seen vandalising the car. The police is investigating.

Exhibition On John Paul II Vandalised

February 5, 2021, Germany

On February 5th, unknown perpetrators destroyed the panels of the exhibition "John Paul II - Pope of Dialogue", prepared by the John Paul II Memorial Centre in Warsaw in cooperation with the Polish Embassy at the Basilica of St John the Baptist in Berlin. John Paul II's face was painted over with red paint. A red lightning bolt - the symbol of the so-called women's strike - was painted on the fence of the neighbouring headquarters of the papal nunciature. The police is investigating.

ADF International and Pro-Life Prayer Group Challenge Public Prayer Prohibition at Court

February 3, 2021, Germany

In 2019, the local authority of Pforzheim, Germany, prohibited the assemblies of the "40 Days for Life" group that was peacefully and silently praying in front of an abortion advisory center. The group's concern is to pray for women struggling with abortion and for their unborn children and to offer them support. The legal human rights organization ADF International is now challenging the prohibition in court, in order to ensure that the group's fundamental rights to freedom of religion, assembly, and speech will be reinstalled.

Devastation Of Church In Oborniki

February 2, 2021, Poland

On February 2nd vandals smeared the walls of the church in Oborniki. The graffiti contained slogans like "Blood on my hands" and accusations against the priest of the parish Father Rydzyk. The local police is investigating and trying to identify the perpetrator(s) by analyzing the surveillance recordings.

Unknown Perpetrators Set Fire in Church in Bischofsreut Twice

February 2, 2021, Germany

The first arson attack was on February 2nd, as unknown persons tried start a fire in the gallery of the church in Bischofsreut using paper. This was discovered 3 days later, on February 5th, when unknown perpetrators attacked a second time, this time setting fire to the same place. This resulted in a damage of around 100 Euros. According to the police, between 2.15 and 3.15 p.m., the arsonist(s) were in the church and set fire to a sheet on the floor and several pieces of paper they had found in the building. Before any major damage was done, the perpetrators put out the fire with disinfectant.

Church Closed After Vandals Set Fire to the Pedestal of the Statue of San Vincenzo Next to the Church

February 2, 2021, Italy

On February 2nd, unknown persons set fire to the pedestal of the statue of San Vincenzo next to the San Vincenzo Church. San Vincenzo is the patron saint of the San Vincenzo Church in Cremnago. Some of the parish members saw the flames and other witnesses say they saw some boys running away from the church at the time of the crime. The damage to the statue, which was immediately taken to the sacristy, is fortunately not severe. After the incident the church decided to close its doors for a couple of days and only reopen during liturgical celebrations.

Christian Conservative Institution in Slovenia Vandalised

February 2, 2021, Slovenia

Vandals graffitied the facade of the Christian conservative institution Zavod Iskreni in Slovenia on the night of 2 February. The perpetrators broke the windows and smeared the entrance door of the institute with swastikas and wrote the word "corruption" on it. Minister of Defence Matej Tonin condemns this vandalism as a "systematic attack on Christian values". The police are investigating.

Parish Office in Bochum devastated by Vandals

February 2, 2021, Germany

In February, the parish office behind the church of St. Mary was devastated in Bochum-Langendreer. The Catholic community has been target from vandals repeatedly during 2021.

Church Window Damaged in Schweinheim

February 1, 2021, Germany

On February 1st, unknown perpetrators damaged a church window in Schweinheim. Several thousands of Euros of damage are expected. Police is investigating.

Burglary Leaves Church Unable To Play Music At Funerals

January 31, 2021, United Kingdom

On January 31st, a break-in at the St Thomas's Church in Dudley in the Black Country has left the church unable to play music at funerals. There were no historical items taken from the church, but a computer tablet was stolen that implied that the church would no be able to amplify voices or play recorded music at funerals. The police is investigating.

Suspect Arrested After Investigation for Vandalism in Church

January 31, 2021, United Kingdom

January 31st , a church in the Derry County was vandalised and the police started an investigation. Sectarian slogans and initials of loyalist paramilitary organisations were written on the walls of St Mary's Church in Limavady. According to details provided by the police they were looking for a man during the week of February 7th, when they finally arrested him on that date.

Hate Crime Against St Mary's Church In Limavady

January 30, 2021, United Kingdom

On January 31st, the St Mary's Church in Limavady was target of a hate crime. Vandals sprayed the acronyms "UVP" and "UFF" onto the church walls on Irish Green Street and moreover damaged a statue. The Ulster Freedom Fighter (UFF) is known to be a cover name for the Ulster Defence Association (UDA), an umbrella group of various loyalist groups. The UFF is suspected to have killed more than 250 people.

Graffiti and Damage On A Newly Restored Church In Arcisate

January 30, 2021, Italy

On January 30th, after finishing restoration works of several months, the restorers of the San Vittore Martire Church in Arcisate discovered a graffiti on the side wall of the church. Additionally, the vandals urinated on the church wall and in the corners. The work was halted for two days over the weekend, but it is likely that these acts took place the night before the weekend because the plaster was still fresh. Measures must now be taken to restore it.

Baby Jesus Stolen from Nativity in Riedlingen

January 28, 2021, Germany

The wooden Baby Jesus figure was stolen from the nativity scene at the St. Georg church in Riedlingen on September 28th. It was not know who stole the figure which is of great value to the church.

Church in Bellevue Defaced with Anti-Christian Tags

January 28, 2021, France

A Bellevue church was tagged with Anti-Chritian slogans, as discovered by the police on the 28th of January. The walls and doors of the Bellevue parish were covered with inscriptions.

Attempted Arson On Saint-Paul Church In Montpellier

January 25, 2021, France

On January 25th, unknown perpetrators attempted to set fire to the Saint-Paul Church located in the district of Mosson. The priest discovered thick smoke coming out of the worship room, which emerged from a wooden table. Ash was found on the table coming from a pile of papers, which indicates that the table was deliberately set on fire. Another indication for a case of arson is an obscene graffiti on a figure of Jesus Christ which was found on the walls of the building. Fire fighters were able to put out the fire but still damage was caused.

Major Theft From Church Collection Boxes in Cork

January 25, 2021, Ireland

On January 25th, a priest became suspicious, as he found cheques from other parishes in his collection box. Therefore he viewed church CCTV footage and saw a man using a hooked piece of wire to remove envelopes containing cash from a collection box. The police arrested a man for questioning about a series of thefts from churches in east Cork, which involved thousands of Euros in cash being stolen out of collection boxes.

Repeated Graffiti Attack On Church In Sabiñánigo

January 24, 2021, Spain

On January 24th, the church of Castillo Guarga, in the municipal park of Sabiñánigo was yet again a target of an act of vandalism. The 12th century romanesque window of the church was covered with graffiti. The graffiti has to be removed by a specific cleaning company with special cleaning products due to the porous wall. The police is searching for the unknown perpetrators.

Historic Church in Stockholm Attacked with Three Molotov Cocktails

January 24, 2021, Sweden

An 800-year-old church located in Stockholm has been attacked twice within one week. It has been reported by Swedish media that on 12 January, three Molotov cocktails were thrown into the Spånga church. The church located just outside of Tensta and flanked by Rinkeby might have been targeted by Muslims, who form the majority of the population in that area. Four days before said incident two explosives were hurled into the Church, one smashed through the church windows, while another one was thrown at the church gate. The church's pastor recalls, “the alarm was triggered when a window was smashed and flammable liquid thrown at the front gate and one of the windows. However, the fire was quickly put out by the police, who used a powder extinguisher”.

San Martino Church In Italy Vandalized

January 22, 2021, Italy

In the evening of January 22nd, two young perpetrators broke into the church of San Martino in Rezzato. The vandals completely destroyed the entrance door and pews. The police were informed and a charge was filed.

Severe Vandalism and Arson Of A Church In Germany

January 22, 2021, Germany

The interior of the Protestant Christ church in Radolfzell was heavily vandalized on January 22nd. The organ bench, the conductor's platform and a wrought-iron door were thrown from the gallery into the church hall. Parts of the sacristy and the kitchen in the parish hall were also destroyed. In addition, there was a fire set in the area of the lighting system, which the fire fighters were able to extinguish. The church had been cleared out due to renovation works and the front door had been left open so that people could say goodbye to the church in it's old form, the pastor explained. The 63-year-old perpetrator was arrested on the spot. The police started investigations for suspected arson and vandalism.

Perpetrators Severely Damaged A 300 Years Old Fresco At The St. Nicholas Cathedral in Ljubljana

January 22, 2021, Slovenia

Unknown perpetrators damaged a 300 years old fresco at the Cathedral of St. Nicholas in Ljubljana. The damage caused by balloons filled with colours amounts to several thousand euros. The incident happened on the evening of January 22nd. The police are investigating, should the vandals be caught they could face up to eight years in prison. The spokesman of the Episcopal Conference, Dr Tadej Jakopič, explains that the fresco was painted in the second half of the 18th century by Julius Quaglio and restored by Janez Wolf in 1872.

100 Years Old Polish Chapel Destroyed By Vandals

January 21, 2021, Poland

On January 21st, vandals destroyed an over 100-year-old chapel in Otwock. The statue of the Virgin Mary was torn off and stolen. Thanks to the efforts of some residents the chapel was renovated and a new statue bought. Because the owners of the chapel are unknown, the police did not take up any investigations.

Arson Attack On Church in Spånga

January 20, 2021, Sweden

On January the 20th, unknown perpetrators threw three Molotov cocktails at the church in Spånga. Windows were smashed, the entrance was damaged but no person was harmed during the attack. Pastor Jerker Alsterlund said, "We have no threat against us but it is a strong symbolic act." The police have cordoned off the area and are investigating for arson. Four days later on January 24th a second arson took place. A window was broken and a small fire with some smoke development was detected by a security company. The incident is currently classified as arson and the police is investigating whether there is a connection between the two attacks.

Sacred Items Stolen from Parish in El Chorrillo Neighborhood

January 20, 2021, Spain

Anonymous intruders broke into the San Juan de Ávila parish in the neighbourhood of El Chorrillo, on January 20th. They stole the tabernacle and in their haste to leave, dropped a number of ecclesiastical items belonging to the tabernacle in the surrounding area. A complaint was filed with the police. The newspaper reports the faithful were very affected and tried to recover all the parts that had been dropped around the church.

Cross Removed from Public Space in Spanish City Aguilar

January 19, 2021, Spain

The historic cross of the Discalced Carmelite Order was removed by the city of Aguilar de la Frontera on January 19th. The decision to cut down the cross of the Fallen was backed by the Act on Historical Remembrance. The act is concerned with removing symbols of the Franco regime. The leftist mayor Carmen Flores explained that the local Andalusian legislation regulates the public display of elements that glorify Francism and that the opinion of the church is irrelevant. The Spanish Association of Christian Lawyers contested the city council's decision to remove the cross to the administrative court.

ÖCV (Austrian Catholic Cartel Association) Resistance Memorial Smeared by Vandals

January 19, 2021, Austria

In the morning hours of January 19th, the ÖCV (Austrian Catholic Cartel Association) house was vandalized. A group of left-wing extremists entered the ÖCV house and smeared several signs in the entrance area with black paint. The plaque at the memorial for the victims and resistance fighters from the rank of the ÖCV was demolished with red paint and elsewhere anarchist symbols were left behind.

Vandals Destroyed A Church In Kaźmierz

January 18, 2021, Poland

On January 18th, the church of the Blessed Virgin Mary in Kaźmierz was vandalized. Unknown perpetrators destroyed three stained glass windows in the church and smashed three windows in the sacristy. Priests and parishioners are very upset.

Twenty-Five Graves Vandalized in Saint-Jean d'Assé

January 18, 2021, France

On 18th January 2021, twenty-five graves in the cemetery of Saint-Jean-d’Assé have been desecrated and vandalized. Crosses and crucifies were broken and other objects were damaged. The unknown perpetrators created two fake graves using broken and vandalized objects that have been stolen from other graves. The mayor, Emmanuel Clément filled a complaint to the police and asked for witnesses.

Threats to Sacristan and Vandalism at Catholic Peter and Paul Church

January 15, 2021, Germany

On January 15th, the sacristan of the Peter and Paul Church in Lahr identified an unknown perpetrator, who had been damaging objects and behaving in a very undignified manner. The priest reported that the holy water vessels were torn from the anchoring, the disinfection bottle was on the floor, and the man defecated inside the church. The sacristan then prohibited the man to return, which led to him becoming abusive and threatening to kill the sacristan and blow up the church. Charges were filed and after a police investigation, the man got arrested.

Thirty- Three Graves Vandalized at the Guédéniau cemetery

January 15, 2021, France

On the 15 of January, around thirty graves in the Guédéniau cemetery in Baugé-en-Ajou were vandalized. The prefect condemned the acts and an investigation was opened by the gendarmerie as to who did it. The prefect said: "I give my full support to the mayor, the residents, and the injured families."

A Man Opposed To Euthanasia Is Ordered To Die Of Hunger And Thirst

January 13, 2021, United Kingdom

On November 6th, a middle aged man identified as RS fell into a coma after a heart attack left him with a severe and permanent brain damage. The man's wife and children supported the decision to turn off his life support system so he could die while receiving palliative care. The University Hospital Plymouth in the UK successfully applied for a permission to do so at the court. The patient's mother and sister argued that as a practicing Catholic, the man would refuse to be taken off life support because of his faith. They also claimed in an appeal to an English court, that the man's condition had improved and presented video footage take with a cell phone, showing the patient blinking and crying while they were in the room. The appeal was rejected by the English court and the European Court of Human Rights.

Suspended Pro-Life Midwifery Student in Nottingham University Received Apology

January 13, 2021, United Kingdom

Julia Rynkiewicz, a final year midwifery student, was victim to a 4-month long suspension and "fitness to practice" investigation due to her support and involvement with the “Nottingham Students for Life” society, where she served as president. After four months, on the 13. January, the investigation was dismissed by the Committee. As Julia realized she was unfairly targeted for her beliefs, she lodged a complaint with the support of ADF International UK. After the case was settled, Julia received an apology from the university.

Statue of Virgin Mary Decapitated in Leinefelde

January 11, 2021, Germany

An unknown vandal cut off the head of the figure of the Virgin Mary outside the Church of St. Maria Magdalena in Leinefelde on January 14th. The parish priest found smashed beer bottles nearby the Stations of the Cross and also reported the incident to the police, who investigated it. The property damage was not quite known yet but would be fixed "as soon as possible."

Chaplain Banned From Prison Work For Revealing Islamic Extremism At The HM Prison in Brixton

January 9, 2021, United Kingdom

Christian prison chaplain Paul Song was suspended from work after he has made the incident when a group of Islamic extremists stormed a chapel gathering and hijacked his bible meeting public. After his Sunday Mail interview about the incident he was banned indefinitely from working in London jails. After being punished for whistleblowing and exposing the influence of Muslim gangs at HM Prison Brixton, he is taking legal actions. At the High Court hearing on January 12th the Lawyers will seek a judicial review of the decision.

Suspected Arson at Holy Spirit Church in Vienna

January 9, 2021, Austria

The Holy Spirit Church in Vienna has to be completely renovated due to heavy sooting after a fire on January 9th. According to the Archdiocese of Vienna, the "fire event", reported to the police, could have been an arson attack. A box of cushions was burning, which caused a lot of soot. "We suspect that the cushions were set on fire. There are no candles near the scene of the fire and people usually don not smoke in a church." Michael Prüller, spokesman for the Archdiocese of Vienna stated. The church will remain closed indefinitely.

Former Spanish Deputy Encourages Violence and Vandalism to Churches

January 9, 2021, Spain

Marga Ferré, Izquierda Unida's former deputy in the Madrid Assembly for two terms, has encouraged young girls to enter churches without clothes and has applauded the demolition of statues. In a chat with six other communist women, this journalist made statements that glorify vandalism against Christian sites, considering it "amusing".

Lutheran Church in Leipzig Attacked with Stones and Paint by Left Extremists

January 6, 2021, Germany

The St. Lukas Church in Leipzig was vandalized with paint and stones by left extremists. The portal image was damaged with paint bags and windows were smashed with stones. On January 6th, the left extremist platformed indymedia, which is monitored by the Office for the Protection of the Constitution, claimed to be the originator of the attack in an online letter. It stated: "Assembly for Moria - Smash Christian-White Europe. We attacked a Lutheran church in Leipzig to start our Monday campaign for Moria. We attacked with stones and paint". The case and the validity of the letter will be further investigated.

Christmas Tree in Vienna Trenched with Gasoline "because it doesn't belong in a Muslim district"

January 1, 2021, Austria

On New Year's Eve, around 20-30 adolescents had gathered in Vienna, attacking shops, apartment balconies and other facilities on a public square with explosive pyrotechnical supplies. They also poured a diesel-gasoline mixture over a Christmas tree. Several trash cans flew against windows damaging the surrounding shop windows. "A Christmas tree has no place in a Muslim district, said one of the rioters," a member of the emergency services stated. The rioting mob also attacked the police officers by throwing firecrackers at them and shouting "Allahu Akbar"slogans. Four people were arrested immediately and the local government initiated a new security strategy for the area.

Angel Statues Stolen from Church in Polla

January 1, 2021, Italy

Statues of Angels were stolen from the Church of the Blessed Virgin of the Rosary in Polla but fortunately have been discovered again and returned. The angels together with an altar from the 18th century were stolen in January 2021. As the angels date back to 1700 they carry a high historical value. The police Unit for the Protection of Cultural Heritage of Naples discovered the stolen angels in a private house in the Neapolitan area. It is planned to hand them over during a ceremony on 21 June, to celebrate both, the church's reopening as well as the recovery of the stolen angels.

Graves In Fontainebleau Desecrated With Swastikas

December 28, 2020, France

In the night of December 28th, about sixty graves in the municipal cemetery of Fontainebleau were desecrated with swastikas. "67 old or recent stelae were vandalised with swastikas in pink, white and silver," said Fontainebleau's LR mayor Frédéric Valletoux. The Jewish cemetery, which is next to the town's main cemetery, was not desecrated, according to the Fontainebleau prosecutor's office, which has launched an investigation into "damage to graves". On Twitter, Interior Minister Gérald Darmanin said he was "disgusted by the desecration of the cemetery" and stressed that "everything will be done to find the perpetrators of this desecration".

Troublemakers Break Into A Church Proclaiming 'Allah' on the Altar

December 27, 2020, Spain

On December 27, unknown perpetrators who broke into a church in Murcia, Spain, climbed onto the altar and were arrested proclaiming 'Allah'. "We tried to get them to leave, but there was no way, and then the police were called. And the police had two patrols here within five minutes," said Silvestre del Amor, a parish priest and witness to what happened. Members of the National Police asked the subjects to show identification, but they had no documents with them. The perpetrators were taken to the police station and charged with a crime against religious feelings.

Burglar arrested In Grantham After an Attack on St Wulfram's Church

December 25, 2020, United Kingdom

A man robbed St Wulfram's Church in Grantham on Christmas morning, 25 December, after smashing a historic stained glass window. Lee Gray, who is now under arrest, destroyed items inside the church and then stole cash and the safe which contained valuable books and confidential documents. Among the stolen items was an original manuscript of a book about St Wulfram, the church's patron saint. The broken stained glass window caused £6,500 worth of damage and the church had to spend a further £5,000 replacing the locks. The total cost of the damage and stolen items was £15,229.

In Perpignan: A Convert Couple Deported and will be Sentenced to Death in Iran

December 24, 2020, France

Ata Fathimaharloei, his wife, Somayeh Hajifoghaha, and their two children converted to Christianity from Islam and sought asylum in France. The Christian refugee family in Pyrenees-Orientales are threatened with deportation and death sentence in their home country.

Nativity Scene Destroyed With Petrol Bomb on Christmas Eve

December 24, 2020, United Kingdom

A nativity scene in Raglan, Monmouthshire was destroyed with a petrol bomb on Christmas Eve. The perpetrators are unknown and a reward of £2,500 has been offered to anyone who can trace the culprit. The nativity scene had been installed in a bus shelter to bring joy to families over Christmas. The petrol bomb set the statues of a shepherd, Mary, Joseph and the baby Jesus on fire, all were completely destroyed.

Protestant Mayor Charged for not Willing to Bless Homosexual Couples

December 24, 2020, France

Franck Meyer, evangelical mayor of a small town in Normandy, Sotteville-sous-le-Val, has now been accused by two LGBT associations. The evangelical mayor, president of the Protestant Committee for Human Dignity (CPDH), declared that he would not bless a marriage "between two men or two women" out of fidelity to his religious convictions. He called for a "conscience clause", as exists in the case of infant baptism or for doctors who oppose abortion, but which does not apply to elected representatives. For the lawyer of the two LGBT associations, Franck Meyer's remarks constitute "discrimination committed by a person with public authority in the course of his functions". Meyer vehemently contradicted this in a press release on 17 December: "I therefore formally deny the accusations of discrimination made against me and consider that they amount to a defamatory denunciation. "