Evangelical Church Burned in Calais
No casualties were reported, but the damage was considerable: the roof collapsed and the building was destroyed. The cause of the fire is being investigated and arson has not been ruled out.
According to the pastor of the Assemblies of God church, Fabien Boinet, “in the last 2 months someone has been leaving their garbage bags in front of our building, at least once a week. Glue has also been put in the door lock of the building. We had to report this to the police.” The National Council of Evangelicals in France (CNEF) also expressed its solidarity with the church. In a statement, the representatives of French evangelicals expressed their support in prayer and legal means and said they would be “especially attentive to any violation of the religious freedom and the freedom of speech in the country.” The CNEF also pointed to the fact that the building in Calais is the second evangelical church burned in France in only two months. On May 18, an Assemblies of God church in Manosque was attacked. Sources and photo credit: Evangelical Focus and La Voix du Nord