All cases
Bus Company Pulls Adverts for Franklin Graham Event
July 12, 2018, United KingdomBus ads promoting the September 2018 Franklin Graham "Lancashire Festival of Hope" at Winter Gardens Blackpool were pulled in response to criticism from LGBT communities. Graham, like many evangelicals, preaches the biblical definition of marriage as being between one man and one woman.
Graffiti on Pillar of Warsaw Church
July 12, 2018, PolandThe pillar of the All Saints Church (Kościół Wszystkich Świętych) was vandalized with graffiti some time between July 12th and 13th. The same church had been vandalized about two weeks earlier and police began an investigation.
Romanesque Church Vandalized
July 11, 2018, SpainThe facade of the San Millán church in the city center of Segovia was sprayed with green paint by unknown vandals.
Suspicious Fire at Chêne de la Vierge
July 11, 2018, FranceA fire destroyed the Chêne de la Vierge (the "Oak to the Virgin"), a popular place of pilgrimage and devotion, on July 11th. The tree, which had been covered with statues, crosses, rosaries, and small shrines to the Virgin Mary was ravaged by a fire. The fire was reported to be suspicious because there had been no reports of lightning in the area, and this tree was the only one in the forest to have been burned.
300 Year Old Sandstone Crucifix Damaged and Stolen
July 10, 2018, GermanySometime between July 8th and 10th unknown perpetrators smashed the "Hansenkreuz" with an object heavy enough to break the cross from its base and stole the sandstone crucifix, leaving only fragments behind. The Hansenkreuz had been standing at a crossroads in Dierscheid in the forest area of Kellerberg for 300 years. Police opened an investigation.
Confessionals and a Stoup Vandalized with Ink in Płońsk
July 9, 2018, PolandPolice arrested a 59-year-old man after CCTV cameras caught him pouring ink in two confessionals and a stoup (a basin for holy water) in the parish of Michała Archanioła. Damage was estimated at PLN 1,000.
Parish Priest Closed Church after Finding Urine in Holy Water
July 9, 2018, ItalyAfter discovering urine in the holy water in the Chiesa Santa Croce (better known as "Chiesa dei Morti” or "church of the dead") in Canneto Sull'Oglio, the parish priest decided to close the church for a few days. The church is a sacred place for the local community, as the walls of the church have been covered with photos, plaques, and headstones of deceased loved ones since 1630.
Door of Nativity Church burnt
July 9, 2018, ItalyThe door of the nativity church at Villa Muti in Frascati, near Rome, was burnt.
Vandalism and Desecration at Madrid Church
July 9, 2018, SpainThe church of San Bartolomeo in the municipality of Fresnedillas de la Oliva was robbed and desecrated. The intruders tore the tabernacle off the wall and threw it to the ground, left sacred objects scattered on the floor and stole the money from the offering boxes. The sacristy and the catechism rooms were ransacked. The ciborium containing consecrated Hosts was overturned and the contents were scattered on the floor. The incident was reported to the police and the Archbishop of Madrid scheduled a Reparation Mass.
Fire at Base of San Pio da Pietralcina in Frascati
July 8, 2018, ItalySomeone set fire to the base of the bronze statue of San Pio da Pietralcina in Frascati, near Rome, which blackened the feet of the statue of the saint. The police started an investigation.
Confessionals Burnt in Cathedral
July 8, 2018, ItalyA 58-year old man from the area set fire in one of the four confessionals of St. Peter's Cathedral in Frascati, near Rome, by igniting the padded seat. The perpetrator was caught due to the footage of 12 surveillance cameras in the cathedral. The man was described as mentally disturbed and was known for vandalizing places of worship in the past. He was arrested by the local police for arson and damaging a place of worship.
Government Fired Doctor for View that Gender is Determined by Biology
July 8, 2018, United KingdomDr David Mackereth was deemed "unfit" to work as an assessor at the Department for Work and Pensions (DWP) over his refusal to use transgender patient's preferred pronouns because of his view that gender is defined by biology and that God made humans male and female. The Equality Act identifies those undergo or who propose to undergo gender reassignment as part of a protected class. Failure to use preferred pronouns is interpreted as unlawful discrimination.
Priest Assaulted and Spat on during 'Orange Walk'
July 7, 2018, United KingdomCatholic priest Tom White was spat on twice as he greeting parishioners outside St. Alphonsus' Church after Mass at the same time that an 'Orange Walk,' a procession by a Protestant fraternal order, passed by. He was also hit with a baton and verbally abused. A spokesperson for the Grand Orange Lodge of Scotland has said that no one from the parade was involved. Police Scotland, who had been guarding the church but were called away before the parade passed by, began a hate crime investigation.
Church Door Set on Fire and Public Cross Toppled
July 6, 2018, ItalyThe door of the church Madonna della Cona in Piazza Battisti in Castel Gandolfo was set on fire during the night and the cross which stood in the square was toppled. Although the church has been deconsecrated, city authorities expressed concern about a series of destructive acts directed at Christian churches and symbols in the area.
Graffiti Sprayed on Town Church
July 6, 2018, United KingdomVandals sprayed "YNWA", "truth", and "greed" on the historic St. Nicholas Church. The reverend called it "disrespectful" and said people were upset about the damage. She said that although youths had been congregating in the area for some time, and leaving garbage in the churchyard, this was first time they caused damage to the building.
Degradations at the Church of la Collégiale Saint-Barnard
July 5, 2018, FranceOn the afternoon of July 5th, damage was discovered in the historic Collegiate Church of Saint-Barnard in the old center of Romans-sur-Isère. The cover of the baptismal font had been broken and found on the ground, and the finger of a statue of Saint John the Baptist was also broken. Police investigated.
Village and Church Tagged with Graffiti
July 5, 2018, FranceSometime during the night of July 5th, buildings in the small town of Saint-Alban-d'Ay were targeted with vandalism with anarchist and communist slogans in red and black paint. The church facade was sprayed with offensive slogans and the interior was ransacked.
Religious Flags Torn Down at "Campus of Religions"
July 4, 2018, AustriaUnknown vandals tore down the flags of the New Apostolic Church and the Vienna Jewish Community at the construction site for a "Campus of Religions" in the new housing complex 'Seestadt' in Aspern. The campus is supposed to become a place where different religions can coexist and meet each other peacefully. It is not the first time the site has been subject to vandalism. The Israeli flag had been attacked twice before, once at the start of the construction in 2015 and again in May 2018. Religious leaders of different Christian denominations have expressed their outrage about the act. The police began an investigation.
Demand for Apology after President of National Assembly Mentions God
July 3, 2018, SloveniaA left-wing member of the National Assembly, Franc Trček, demanded an apology from Matej Tonin, the President of the National Assembly, for concluding a speech with the words "Bog živi Slovenijo," which can roughly be translated to "God bless Slovenia." Trček argued that the words violated the constitution of Slovenia which requires a separation of church and state. Tonin responded that he had no intention of apologizing and that the constitution also protects freedom of speech.
Activist Graffiti found on Church Properties in Poland
July 3, 2018, PolandGraffiti was found on several church buildings in the wake of a discussion on stricter abortion legislation by the Polish parliament. The spray-painted slogans included “Behold my body, behold my blood, buzz off”; “women-murderers” and “We remember Rwanda.” The three damaged buildings included the curial offices of the Archdiocese of Warsaw, the rectory of the Church of St. John the Baptist, and the curial offices of the Diocese of Warsaw-Praga.
Statue Vandalized and Satanic Inscriptions Left in Church
July 3, 2018, FranceA priest discovered that statues in the nave of the church of Saint Jean-Baptiste de Bourgoin-Jallieu had been vandalized and that satanic inscriptions were left defacing a prayer book. The police were notified and opened an investigation.
Door Set on Fire and Graffiti in Primary School Church: "I smell Christians"
July 2, 2018, ItalyAn unknown vandal set fire to the entrance door to the church of the nursery/primary school institute Paul VI in Castel Gandolfo and wrote graffiti reading "I smell Christians" in Norwegian. A complaint was filed and the police began an investigation.
High Court Upholds "Buffer Zones" around Abortion Clinic; Appeal Filed
July 2, 2018, United KingdomThe High Court of England and Wales upheld a “buffer zone” imposed by Ealing Council, west London, around a Marie Stopes abortion clinic. High Court Judge Mark Turner said that Ealing Council in London was justified in creating a 328-foot exclusion zone to prevent any pro-life gathering or speech, including prayer, within 100 meters of the clinic. Two women plan to appeal to the Supreme Court of the United Kingdom.
Arson Attempt at Elche Basilica
June 30, 2018, SpainAn unknown person attempted to set fire to the Basilica of Santa Maria in Elche while Mass was being celebrated inside. By using paraffin from a chandelier, the perpetrator set a fire between two wooden doors. Fortunately a parishioner noticed the smoke and the flames could be smothered in time.
"Satan Punishes Homophobes" on Wall of Toulouse Chapel
June 30, 2018, FranceGraffiti was discovered on the walls of the Saint-Roch-du-Férétra chapel in Toulouse. Slogans included "Church on fire", "Dirty priest" and "Satan punishes homophobes." An investigation has been started. It is suspected that the slogans were left by LGBT groups and anarchists.
Ex-President of Ireland calls Catholic Teaching on Homosexuality 'Evil'
June 29, 2018, IrelandMary McAleese, the former President of Ireland said that, in her view, the Church's teaching on homosexuality is "evil" and leads to homophobia which has caused people to commit suicide and live in "dark shadows." She said that the behaviour of the church towards the LGBT community was "unchristian" and "worse than uncharitable" and that the only person to change this is the pope.
Repeated Vandalism at Church in Forst
June 29, 2018, GermanySt Nikolai, the main church in Forst, was repeatedly vandalized. During several weeks in June 2018 the facade on the side of the church was chipped at until the perpetrators were able to pull away the paint coating. Countless graffiti and a hole in the wall were also found. In addition to that, 18 glass windows which are located in the doors to the tower entrance were smashed. The church was left with uninsured costs to repair the 10 square meteres of facade were estimated at 2,000 euros and a further 300 euros to repair the windows.
Coalition Withdraws CDU Candidate for Constitutional Court Due to Criticism of Sex Ed
June 29, 2018, GermanyJust days before the parliamentary vote on the election of a judge to the state constitutional court, the CDU, Greens, FDP and SSW withdrew their nomination of Hamburg lawyer and law professor Christian Winterhoff due to his conservative views on the sexual education of children.
Convictions in Czech Church Arson Case
June 28, 2018, Czech RepublicThree young men were convicted of arson for setting fire to the 16th century Božího Těla (Corpus Christi) church in Guty, Třinec. The regional court of Ostrava sentenced them to 9, 8, and 3.5 years in prison for setting fire to the church in August 2017. The Roman Catholic church had been listed as a cultural and historical monument and was among the oldest preserved wooden churches in the Czech Republic. The August 2017 fire caused damage of over 20 million korun. The historical value of the building and its artifacts, however, is not quantifiable.
1 in 10 Gay Christians Report Discrimination by other LGBT People
June 28, 2018, United KingdomA report by the LGBT-rights organization Stonewall found that nearly 1 in 10 gay Christians have experienced bullying from other LGBT people because of their faith.
Two Fires Set in Neunkirchen Parish
June 27, 2018, AustriaAn unknown person set fire to the tablecloth on the altar of the "Allerseelen" chapel in the church in Neunkirchen, but went out on its own. The incident was suspected to have happened just after the church opened as the priest noticed it and immediately reported the incident to the police. Two days later, a similar fire was set.
Theft and Vandalism for Weeks in French Cemetery
June 26, 2018, FranceFor several weeks, the Vallongue cemetery in the city of Bandol, was repeatedly vandalized and various objects were stolen. Relatives observed with dismay as plants, ceramics, figurines, and other decorative objects were disappearing.
Church Suffers Repeated Thefts and Vandalism
June 26, 2018, FranceFrom the beginning of March until the end of June 2018, the alms box of church of Saint-Thomas-de-Cônac was repeatedly broken and emptied by unknown thieves. Despite new measures to prevent further thefts in the alms box, the perpetrators continued to attempt to get the money. In the end, after having installed a safe on the ground, the constant thefts were replaced with acts of vandalism: candles lit and broken on the floor, trash and papers thrown around, holy water spilled, and indecent comments written in the guestbook.
Fire in Chapel in Kolbermoor
June 25, 2018, GermanyOn June 25th, unknown perpetrators set fire to a dry flower arrangement that decorated a monument to the fallen in a chapel of the Heilig Dreifaltigkeit church in Kolbermoor. The damage to the property, based on the Bad Aibling police inspection, was around 1500 euros.
Two Statues Destroyed at Church in Perrecy-les-Forges
June 24, 2018, FranceParishioners discovered two broken statues in the church of Saint-Pierre-et-Saint-Benoît on Sunday morning, the 24th of June 2018. The statue of St. Paul had been destroyed and another had been decapitated. In addition to that, benches had been overturned, a door had been forced open, and a door lock had been broken.
Attack on Seven Iranian Christians in Greek Refugee Camp
June 24, 2018, GreeceOn June 24th, in the middle of the night, a group of about 30-40 refugees attacked two Christian families along with another Christian man after they returned from a bible-reading. According to International Christian Consulate, "the attackers poured petrol over the cabin where they were meeting, and threatened to set it alight. They beat up the men and held knives to the throats of the two women and children, while telling them, ‘This is a Muslim camp. You have to leave’."
Madonna Image Vandalized in Legano
June 23, 2018, ItalyUnknown individuals used red spray paint to vandalize one of the bas-relief images of the Virgin Mary in the votive chapel on corner of one of the walls of the parish of Santa Teresa del Bambin Gesù, between Via Canova and Via Resegone, in Legano.
Madonna of Piazza Europa Burnt
June 23, 2018, ItalyDuring the night of June 23rd, someone set fire to the Madonna in the Piazza Europa in Marino, near Rome, leaving it blackened with soot. Residents expressed outrage, as the statue is a symbol of the community and the police began an investigation.
Fire in Orthodox church in Bosnia Herzigovia
June 23, 2018, Bosnia and HerzegovinaA fire was lit inside the church of the Most Holy Mother of God in the high-rise settlement of the suburb Čekrekčije. Most objects of the church, including icons and sacred books were destroyed or burnt. The fire affected part of the roof structure and the main part of the throne was broken. The police has started an investigation. The church had been renovated over a period of two years and was consecrated in September 2017.
Vandals Hit a Church in Radevormwald
June 22, 2018, GermanyUnknown people entered the church of St. Marien in Radevormwald on June 22nd and disturbed various items, burned church newspapers in the baptismal font, and destroyed the Easter candle, which in addition to its religious symbolism, also had value of 100 euros.
Isle of Man Cathedral Vandalized
June 21, 2018, United KingdomOn June 21st, police condemned a continuous wave of vandalism against the Peel Cathedral on the Isle of Man. A spokesman for the police said that vandals sprayed graffiti in different places around the cathedral over several days. A week earlier, a prominent sculpture was broken, and the lawn and other objects were damaged.
Arson in Church in Plappeville
June 21, 2018, FranceThe church of Sainte-Brigide de Plappeville (Moselle) suffered an arson attack on June 21st at 5:40 p.m. Firefighters reported two fires inside the church. After being arrested in the vicinity, two young men admitted entering the building by breaking some of the windows and setting fire to the altar cloth and the cabinet in which the books were kept.
Gang Robbed Nine Churches in Two Months
June 21, 2018, SpainAn organized gang stole from at least nine churches on the Island of Tenerife. The last incident occurred in the town of La Camella in the early hours of June 21, 2018. The perpetrators broke into the church, damaging the entrance door, and stole sacred objects and valuables worth at least 3000 euros. They were discovered by nuns who had been sleeping in rooms next door and had woken up when they heard a loud noise. The perpetrators fled the church and the incident was reported to the police. Local media suspected the robbery was carried out by the same gang that had attacked at least nine religious buildings on the island, including the church of San Mateo in Punta del Hidaglo, where they stole valuables worth 10,000 euros.
Fire Set in German Church
June 16, 2018, GermanyA parishioner found the remains of a fire already extinguished on the carpet of the church of St. Petrus in the town of Kirchweiler. According to the police, the unknown perpetrators set the fire between 8 am and 4:45 pm on June 16th. Material damage affected the carpet, a cloth, and a speaker wire.
Four Teenagers Caught Stealing in Church in Clermont-Ferrand
June 16, 2018, FranceFour teenagers were caught by the police inside a church in Clermont-Ferrand stealing the box containing the alms on the night of June 16th.
Paint Thrown against Saint-Étienne Church in Mulhouse
June 15, 2018, FranceAn unknown person stained the main entrance of the Protestant church of Saint-Étienne in Mulhouse, France with white paint on June 15th in the afternoon.
Polish Supreme Court Rules against Printer; Tribunal Reversed in 2019
June 14, 2018, PolandPoland's Supreme Court ruled against a printer who refused to create a roll-up banner for an LGBT business group because he did not want to "promote" the gay rights movement, citing his Catholic religious beliefs. The Court held that although there may be legally justifiable reasons to refuse services based on religious objections, in this case they did not apply. UPDATE: In June 2019, the Constitutional Tribunal ruled that the law the printer was convicted under was unconstitutional, because punishment for refusing to provide services on the grounds of beliefs interfered with the service providers’ rights to act according to their conscience.
Spain Fined UK Christian Television Broadcaster
June 14, 2018, SpainThe National Commission of Markets and Competition (CNMC) fined Revelation TV, which is based in the UK but broadcasts in Spain, €6,000 after an individual complained to the state agency about comments made by an evangelical pastor during a morning program in September 2017. The CNMC deemed the pastor's comments "homophobic" when he expressed his opinion about transgender issues and whether Christians should move their children from schools when another student identifies as transgender.
Theft and Vandalism in the Church of Bellecombe-Tarendol
June 13, 2018, FranceDuring the night of June 13th, between 10 pm and 7 am, unknown individuals forced the door of the Bellecombe-Tarendol church, breaking the lock. Once inside, they caused minor damage and stole a golden chalice. In addition, they sprayed the interior of the building with a fire extinguisher to conceal their tracks.
Theft in Sant'Antonio Church in Manduria on its Feast's Eve
June 12, 2018, ItalyThieves entered the church of Sant'Antonio in Manduria on June 12th between 11 am and 2 pm and stole an amplifier and part of the sound system from the sacristy, taking advantage of the confusion in the preparation of the patron's local feast the next day.