Man storms altar area and devastates St. Antonius Church in Düsseldorf
A man entered St. Antonius Church in Düsseldorf, forced his way into the altar area and damaged liturgical objects before being detained by police shortly afterwards. Parishioners reacted with shock at the destruction of objects central to worship.
The incident occurred on the morning of 28 April 2026 at the St. Antonius Church in the Oberkassel district of Düsseldorf. According to reports, a man entered the church nave and suddenly began vandalising the interior.
According to the parish priest, Fr. Frank Heidkamp, the perpetrator advanced into the sanctuary area, where he knocked over large candlesticks that subsequently broke. He then threw the Easter candle onto the ground, damaging it. The man also destroyed a display case before leaving the church while gesticulating loudly and making the sign of the cross.
The Easter candle and sanctuary furnishings hold important liturgical significance in Catholic worship, making the targeted destruction particularly disturbing for parishioners. Community members reportedly reacted with shock to the damage caused to objects used in religious services.
Police apprehended the suspect shortly afterwards in a nearby supermarket on Luegallee. Authorities described the approximately 30-year-old Düsseldorf resident as appearing confused. Police stated that he was already known to them for previous offences unrelated to vandalism.
In comments following the incident, Heidkamp stated that such deliberate destruction remained relatively rare in Düsseldorf, occurring “about once or twice a year.” However, he also referred to a growing number of incidents involving human excrement being left in churches in the city centre during opening hours, particularly at St. Lambertus Church and St. Maximilian Church, which he said now occur “on average once a month, with the trend increasing.” Despite the incidents, church representatives stressed that churches would remain open during the day as places of prayer and refuge.
Source: rp-online.de
Photo: Katholische Kirche Düsseldorf