All cases
Repeated Vandalism Against the Wall of a Monastery and Church in Krakow
October 22, 2020, PolandAfter 4 years the wall of a church in Krakow and the the wall of the Pauline monastery also in Krakow were sprayed with paint on October 22nd. The big inscription can still be read from the opposite side of the river Vistula and it contains a vulgar insult to "J.W." The wall of the Pauline Monastery was vandalized white paint that is meant to upset pedestrians. Four years ago, after the first incident occurred, ivy was plated on the walls to prevent any other acts of vandalism.
Recently Restored Wall of Cemetery in Bielsko-Biala Vandalized
October 22, 2020, PolandAn unknown perpetrator vandalized the recently restored fragments of the cemetery wall of the Catholic parish of St. Nicholas, in Bielsko-Biała. On the night of October 22nd, an inscription reading "This sh*t can only be washed away by the flood" in black spray-paint, was left on the wall. The police is investigating.
Statue of the Virgin Mary Decapitated in Germany
October 22, 2020, GermanyOn the 22nd of October, a police officer discovered that the statue of the Virgin Mary, of the Jesuits Church in Straubing, was decapitated. The head of the statue laid on the floor between the doors of the church and had a mask on. Inside the church, he found the remaining of the statue, which was toppled over. The police is investigating.
Wave of Attacks Against Churches in Poland by Feminist Group's After New Abortion Law Was Passed
October 22, 2020, PolandOn October 22nd, the polish Constitutional Tribunal decided that eugenic abortion is unconstitutional. This led to an outrage of the left-wing feminist organization "Women's Strike". among others, which started attacking churches across Poland and interrupting church services. The activists vandalized the facades of many religious buildings by tagging them with vulgar or insulting slogans. Among the attacked churches were the St. Magda Magdalena in Warsaw and the parish church St. Jakub in Warsaw, the St. Vincent de Paul church in Otwock and other Shrines and buildings. The police is investigating.
BCC Northern Ireland Launched Biased Program on "Gay Conversion Therapy"
October 22, 2020, United KingdomAs reported by Christian Concern on the 22nd of October, the BBC News Broadcast showed a biased TV Program on the issue of "Gay Conversion Therapy". On September 29th, BBC Northern Ireland featured only LGBT campaigners and gay-affirming psychologist and psychiatrists. The organization Core Issues Trust argued, that the program did not represent the real range of scientific opinions on the controversial topic. There were no interviews with people who had benefited from counseling interventions and left the LGBT lifestyle and also false reports were used without further investigations.
Students Seek to Oust Porter Over Views on Gender Ideology
October 22, 2020, United KingdomThe Union of Clare Students (UCS) of the Cambridge Clare University are trying to remove the city councilor Kevin Price, for refusing to vote on a motion that contained a statement affirming that trans-women are women, trans-men are men and non-binary individuals are also non-binary. Price resigned his role to vote as a matter of conscience on the 22nd of October. The UCS considers Price "Unfit" and demand not only a safe environment for trans-people, but also that they feel "celebrated".
Statue of Jesus on the Cross Set on Fire Outside St. Joseph Church
October 21, 2020, GermanyThe statue of Christ on the Cross already has been vandalized in the past with satanic symbols, during the time of October 21 and 23, it was set on fire. The 31-year-old arsonist of the statue at St. Joseph's Church in Velbert, was found guilty of other arson attacks in the city and was arrested by the police, where he admitted the crimes. In order to cause the massive damage, it looks like the man wrapped the legs of the statue in cloth and then set it on fire.
Man Arrested for Beheading Two Statues of the Virgin
October 21, 2020, FranceAt Pont d'Herault in Suméne and at Montaud, the statues of the Virgin Mary were beheaded by a man. The perpetrator, who destroyed the statue by throwing stones at them, was arrested by the police and has admitted the crimes on the 21st of October.
Man Imprisoned After Two Arson Attacks To Intimidate And Extort Religious Community
October 20, 2020, ItalyA man was arrested some days before the 20th October. At the end of August, the 47-year-old set fire to two showcases on the sides of the door of the Collegiate Sant'Ambrogio Church in Omegna. In September, he also attempted an arson attack on the entrance to a parish home, but luckily the flames did not spread. After investigations by the police and using CCTV cameras, the man was identified. The police also says that the man used the arson attacks to intimidate the religious community and demand money. The perpetrator was arrested and taken into custody.
20 Tombs Desecrated in Escalatens
October 20, 2020, FranceOn the 20th of October, the police was informed about the desecration of 20 Tombs in the cemetery of Escalatens. The families of the desecrated tombs were notified. The candles, symbols and flowers were scattered and the tombstones were turned over.
Desecration of St Clement Cemetery In Orange With Arabic Inscriptions and Vulgar Gestures
October 20, 2020, FranceOn October 20th the police, alarmed by a witness, arrested an individual, known to them, who was desecrating the Saint-Clement cemetery in Orange. Inscriptions in Arabic were found in various places in the chapel. Several grave stones were broken on the ground. A condom and a Koran were found on the altar and the crucifix.
Church of St. Michael the Archangel Was Heavily Desecrated and Looted
October 19, 2020, CroatiaDuring the night of October 19th, the parish Church of St. Michael the Archangel in Jelenje was devastated, desecrated and looted. The Pastor has cancelled all masses, because the damage must be repaired, before the church prepares for any further liturgical celebrations. On the photos of the incident it can be seen that the locks of the door, the tabernacle on the altar and safe box were broken open. The police is investigating.
Bill Threatening Freedom of Speech and Religion Passes First Reading in the UK
October 19, 2020, United KingdomA new Bill is being passed rapidly in the United Kingdom, which would require extensive discussion on its moral standards. The Covert Human Intelligence Bill was presented on September 2020, and has already passed the first reading in the House of Lords (19.10.2020). It's regulations for the authorization of criminal activity for public bodies, like the police, to "prevent disorder" presents a threat to freedoms of speech and religion. The line is already very thin between "hate crimes" and "hate incidents" and the new Bill could give space to a targeted surveillance and use of executive power against Christians.
New Crime Wave Against Churches and Religious Buildings in England with an Average of 13 Incidents per Day
October 18, 2020, United KingdomOn October 18th, the Daily Mail wrote an article about the new "crime wave" against churches and cemeteries in England. The crimes include robbery, vandalism, personal attacks and rape. According to the Metropolitan Police around 1,106 crimes happened in religious locations, including 250 cases of violence against individuals, 273 burglaries, 188 arsons and criminal damage and 371 thefts.
Man Tried To Tear A Cross Off The Roof Of A Church
October 18, 2020, United KingdomOn October 18th at night, a man was captured on video trying to rip off the Cross on the roof of the Chadwell Health Baptist Church in east London. The video footage then circulated on social media. He was also arrested by the police for suspicion of criminal damage. The cross was recovered, being now in police custody, it will be reinstalled soon. A witness told the Metro News, that the man looked angry and was muttering things about religion.
A Bust of Pius XI Torn Down on The Terrace of Pigazzano
October 18, 2020, ItalyOn October 18th, a Bust of Pius XI was found torn down to the ground and severely damaged on the Terrazza di Pigazzano. The terrace, located in front of the Santa Maria Assunta Church, is closed since 2015 due to restoration works. The terrace has repeatedly been vandalized in the past. The bust is placed at the stairs leading to the Santa Maria Assunta Church, which is also got damaged. A group of young people was identified by the police.
Man Attacks Crucifix and Brutally Beats Up Priest
October 18, 2020, ItalyOn the18th of October, a 46-year-old man with a criminal record vandalised the parish of San Giovanni Maria Vianney in Rome. He entered the church in the afternoon, while the parish priest was preparing for the celebrations. The man threw himself on the statue of Jesus crucified and started damaging it. As the priest tried to stop him, the perpetrator punched him in the face and pushed him to throw him to the ground, threatening him with death. With the help of a collaborator, he was taken outside, where he kicked the door of the church. As the police arrived he was also violent to the officers, the man was then arrested.
Vandalism of Painting with Knife in Cathedral of Freiburg
October 18, 2020, SwitzerlandA painting in the St. Nikolaus Cathedral in Freiburg was vandalized on October 18th. The painting with the title "Adoration of the Three Wise Kings" was cut through with a knife. The sacristan, Pierre Ferault, says it is the first time he witnesses such an act of vandalism. The damage is estimated to be between 5000 to 10000 Francs, as the painting is over 150 years old. The police was notified and started an investigation.
March for Life Interrupted by Counter-Demonstrators Insulting and Stereotyping Christians
October 17, 2020, AustriaOn October 17th, counter-demonstrators interrupted the March for Life in Vienna by blocking streets, which led to serval changes of the originally planned route. The counter-demonstrators also verbally and physically insulted the participants of the march with vulgar expressions and gestures. They also held up highly insulting banners like:"If Mary would have aborted, we would have been spared of you." Additionally, the counter-demonstrators held up flags against homophobia, stereotyping Christians as homophobic, despite the fact that the march was not about LGBTQ+ issues but the protection of the unborn life.
Repeated Vandalism With Graffiti at Church of San Giacomo
October 17, 2020, ItalyThe walls of the church of San Giacomo in Tarquinia was tagged with Graffiti the week before October 17th. On October 17th the church walls were tagged again expanding the vandalism. Mayor Giulivi of Tarquinia already ordered to clean the walls and called the incident an "uncivilized act against an entire community." He also want to install CCTV at the church for better surveillance.
Unknown Perpetrator Vandalized Church with Graffiti Allegedly Sending Messages as Jesus Christ
October 17, 2020, GermanyDuring the night of Saturday 17th October, an unknown vandal smeared with neon-green paint the exterior walls on the facade of the Church St Maria in Niederhall up to the Bus Station nearby. The messages allegedly would be from Jesus, the Son of God. The damage caused is at least of 12000 Euros for property damage. The police is asking for clues or witnesses.
Singer of March for Life Physically Attacked and Robbed
October 17, 2020, AustriaThe singer Vero, a young Christian women, who sang at the March for Life in Vienna on October 17th, was physically attacked after her performance on stage. On her way home she went to pick up her bicycle and was harassed by two female antifa activists, who grabbed her bicycle and tried to steal it from her, the two perpetrators also kicked the singer's leg. They finally stole the bicycle, after a loud outcry to the surrounding police officers the two activists were caught and charged with theft and physical violence. The police has indicated that the prosecutor will bring this case forward, as a hate crime.
Smashed Window and Break In at Church is Mosbach
October 16, 2020, GermanyDuring the night of the 17th of October, an unknown vandal broke the window and entered into the Church Christuskirche in Mosbach. He didn't steal anything, but left damage in the amount of 500 Euros because of the broken window. It is suspected that the same person also broke in into the sports place on the same night.
Christian Posters With Bible Verses Outside a Church Torn Off Several Times
October 15, 2020, SwitzerlandOn the 15th of October, it was reported that the two posters outside the Catholic Church at the Kreuzstrasse in Uster were torn off repeatedly. In the posters reads "God is faithful", "Pay attention to your thoughts" and "Avoiding evil is insight", which are taken from the bible. The campaign is run by an interdenominational Christian association.
Arson in Church of Quarndorn Caused Damage on Exterior Wall and Windows
October 15, 2020, United KingdomDuring the night of October 15th, a fire was set at the exterior wall and the windows of St. Paul's church in Quarndorn. The fire damaged the wall and windows but did not spread further. The police is asking for help. A 17-year-old teenager has been arrested as suspect.
Windows Smashed at Church in Kleinkahl
October 15, 2020, GermanyOn October 15th, a church in Kleinkahl was vandalized during the week. An unknown perpetrator damaged one church window and another window at the rectory of the church throwing stones. The damage is approximately 300 euros. The police is looking for witnesses.
Theft and Vandalism in Church of Coswig
October 15, 2020, GermanyUnknown perpetrators forcefully broke into a Church in Coswig during the night of October 15th and stole two silver-plated candlesticks, which are estimated to have a value of 5.000 Euros. Apart from the theft the vandalism is estimated to have caused a damage of an additional 2.00 Euros. The police is investigating.
Midnight Fire at St. Matthew's Church Treated as Arson
October 15, 2020, United KingdomIn the early morning of October 15th, a rescue team was called because the St. Matthew's Church in Derby was burning. The facade and the shed of the church suffered most of the damage. There have been another three attacks with arson in Derby in October: On the church in Quarndorn and two schools, the police has not yet found any evidence that would link these cases. The police is investigating.
Historical Church of San Giacomo Spray-Painted Again
October 14, 2020, ItalyOn the 14th of October, the wall of the Church San Giacomo in Tarquinia was vandalised again by unknown person with spray paint. The citizens are very outraged and demand the installation of security cameras for this church from the 8th century, which is a historical heritage. The building has already a fence, because of similar problems in the past.
Mayor Prevented the Blessing of a School Bus
October 14, 2020, ItalyIn the Municipality of Bibiana, the mayor, Fabio Rossetto, prevented the parish priest of the village to bless a new school bus. He said that the vehicle is ‘secular’ and therefore, does not need the consecration. This issue has raised controversy in the town of Turin.
Government Announced Ban on Conversion Therapies
October 14, 2020, FranceAs requested by associations for the protection of LGBT groups, the government sought to ban conversion therapies. This has been included in the bill on separatism. Several deputies, including Laurence Vanceunebrock-Mialon, claim that conversion therapies are ‘dangerous’ religious practices.
Priest Stolen During a Funeral Ceremony
October 13, 2020, GermanyOn Tuesday 13th October, an unknown person stole the Laptop from a priest, who held a funeral at the cemetery Chapel on Annaberg in Rheinberg. The Computer was on a table covered with a notebook inside the Chapel, then the priest went outside with the other guests for the funeral. When he came back, the Computer was missing. The police are investigating.
Vandalism at Reformed Church in Voorthuizen
October 13, 2020, NetherlandsOn the 11th of October, the Reformed Church in Voorthuizen was vandalised by unknown perpetrators. The CCTV cameras have captured the suspects, and the police is running an investigation and asking for witnesses.
Arson and Vandalism at Saint-Michel's Chapel
October 13, 2020, BelgiumDuring the night of October 13th, the Saint-Michel's chapel was vandalised and burnt down by unknown perpetrators. The interior of the church was set on fire, causing damage on the walls. The police of the Flémalle area was alerted.
More Churches in England Added to The List "Heritage at Risk" Due To Criminal Attacks On Churches
October 12, 2020, United KingdomIn the Year 2020 until now, 90 places of worship have been added to the "Historic England’s Heritage at Risk" register, while only 69 are being taken off. The organisation says this is a New trend they hope will not become the rule. Almost half of the churches are being added because of crimes and thefts of church roofs, which have increased in recent years.
Church in the Isle of Man Vandalised
October 12, 2020, United KingdomDuring the night of October 12th, the Port Erin Methodist Church in the Isle of Man was damaged by unknown vandals. The rear window was broken. The police is investigating and asking the residents for further information.
10 Meters of Graffiti With Unconstitutional Symbols on Church Walls
October 11, 2020, GermanyDuring the last days before the 11th October, the Kreuzkirche in Eisenach was smeared with symbols of unconstitutional organizations by unknown perpetrators. The vandals sprayed three walls over a total length of around ten meters. The period of the crime is still unclear, but the criminal investigation department has started investigations to find relevant information.
Vandalism with Satanic Symbols on Church in Cyprus
October 11, 2020, CyprusOn the night of 11. October, unknown perpetrators sprayed icons, crosses and the church doors of the greek-orthodox Church of Mitseros with Satanic symbols like pentagrams and upside-down crosses. The leader of the village community suspects that the perpetrators could be the same as the ones who started a fire in the church one year ago. The investigations by the police are still ongoing.
Intended Break-In Into Two Churches
October 11, 2020, GermanyDuring the night of 11th to 12th October, two churches were targeted in Burgstädt and Taura. In Burgstädt, unknown perpetrators damaged the town church by the attempt to break-in. Also, on Friday, it was reported that one door had already been forced without success. The damage made goes up to a thousand euros. The second church was on the main street in Taura, where also unknown persons tried to break in, leaving a property damage worth several euros. The Police is investigating both cases.
Suspected Arson in Saint-Laon Church
October 11, 2020, FranceOn 11th October, a fire broke out the church of Saint-Laon in Thouars. The motives remain unknown. The fire required the intervention of the firemen. Fortunately, the paintings have not been damaged, but the stones were blackened by the smoke. The police opened an investigation.
Burglary inside Church and "Heil Satan" Sprayed On Church Door
October 11, 2020, GermanyOn the days between 11. and 14. October, a group of unknown persons broke into a church in Altenburg and vandalized it. The vandals forced the back door open to enter, they also broke an intermediate door open. They did not steal anything from the church but they left an inscription saying "Heil Satan" and "666" on the door, referring to the number of the devil. The damage is estimated to be of several thousand Euros.
Repeated Acts of Vandalism and Desecration at Church of St. Peter and Paul in Steinhofen
October 11, 2020, GermanyThe parish church of St. Peter and Paul in Steinhofen has been devastated inside and outside several times. During the night of October 11th the church was vandalized again. The exterior wall of the church was smeared with paint, the flowers and a sign were torn out of the ground and glass bottles were smashed in the forecourt of the church. The sacristan discovered the damage the next day. The parish has reported the crime and has publicly asked for witnesses.
Pride Parade in France Leads to Anti-Christian Attacks
October 10, 2020, FranceOn the 10th of October, during the Gay Pride Parade in La Roche sur Yon, anti-Christian attacks took place. The ICES, which is a catholic institute that has been criticized before as homophobic, was guarded by the police, while people held signs saying "Blow up the ICES", depicting Jesus in a rainbow background and other direct statements against the church. The mayor of La Roche sur Yon also attended the parade and did not react to the anti-Christian statements or attacks.
Theft of Sacred Objects from Church in Erkelenz
October 10, 2020, GermanyIn the village of Erkelenz, thieves stole gold-plated sacred objects from a church. The police stated that the objects were probably stolen for ideational reasons, more than for the monetary worth of the two chalices, a chalice bowl for the hosts and a monstrance. The break-in and theft happened between the 10th of October and the first week of November. There is an ongoing investigation.
Burglars Break Into a Church in Naples and Vandalise it
October 9, 2020, ItalyOn the 9th of October, a group of unknown vandals broke into the church Santa Croce al Mercato and caused a lot of damage. The Carabinieri intervened and the technicians of the municipality are estimate the damage. The entrance fence was opened by force and the marble was unhinged from the seat, some brass knobs that held marble plaques were also stolen. The Carabinieri think it was a vandal raid. Inside the sacristy some books have been damaged and some relics are missing.
Vulgar Graffiti Sprayed on the Walls of St. Stephen Chapel
October 9, 2020, PolandIn the evening of October 9th, an unknown vandal painted two vulgar inscriptions in front of the chapel of the St. Stephen's parish. The police are investigating.
Young Men Stole Laptop and Money From Church Worker
October 9, 2020, GermanyOn Friday 9th October, some young men distracted a woman who works in the Church in Gütersloh to be able to commit the act of theft. While they were talking to her, two or three went in and out of the parish twice. Afterwards the employee went back to the church and discovered the theft. The police are looking for witnesses.
Student in Swedish School Asked to Remove Necklace with Cross for School Photo
October 9, 2020, SwedenOn October 9th, a 15-year-old boy was asked to remove his necklace with a cross on it for the school photo. The school is unknown to guarantee the anonimity of the boy. Other students at the school were allowed to wear their religious symbols during the photo was taken, like face or hair coverings according to the Muslim religion. The teenager was told, that the cross symbol could be offensive for other students. The headmaster of the school distanced himself from the incident and said the photographer had made a mistake.
French Parliament Debates Extension of Abortion Time Limit and Elimination of Conscientious Objection Clause
October 8, 2020, FranceOn October 8th, MEPs have approved the first reading of the proposed changes in abortion law in France. They wish to extend the legal time limit for abortions from 12 to 14 weeks and to eliminate the clause for contentious objection, which allows gynaecologists and obstetricians to reject to perfom an abortion when they consider it murder, or for other moral reasons. The Prime Minister, the President and the Minister of Health object, that the discussion has been one-sided, and demand the recognition of the opinion from the national advisory committee on ethics.
Vandals Smeared Church Facade With Insulting Graffiti
October 8, 2020, PolandOn 8 October, the parish of St. Cross in Szczecin was vandalized with paint-bombs and spray-paint by vandals with a LGBT message. They left a logo on the display case with the phrase "Only LGBT", and wrote "You have blood on your hands" on the wall. They also threw paint bombs with the rainbow colors on the wall. Bogna Chalczynska, an extreme-left activist and representative for women, compared these acts to a noble fight of the oppressed Polish people during the Soviet-German occupation. This has caused concern and outrage among the believers who demand respect for their religious buildings.