Media portrayed Christian women as anti-abortion activists and harassers. They are also being targeted on the doorsteps of abortion clinics.
On March 2nd, member of the Finnish Parliament Päivi Räsänen faced a police interrogation because of a tweet she posted in June 2019. The tweet was directed at the leadership of her church and questioned its official sponsorship of the LGBT event “Pride 2019”, accompanied by an image of a bible text.
Due to several weeks of vandalism and misuse, demonstrated by, for example, red wine stains found between pews in the church of Saint Gallus in Rangendingen, the parish will only be open during church services. Also, food remains and broken glass were found in front of the Church door. Not only the Church was victim of vandalism, the mortuary in the cemetery was also targeted. Similar incidents have also happened in the neighbouring city Steinhofen. Anyone who has made observations about the incidents should contact the parish office, Father Artur Schreiber, phone 07476/ 13 32, or any police department.
In the last days, the church of Ennezat (Puy-de-Dôme) was profaned twice. On March 2nd and the week before, prayer books have been gathered in a corner and set on fire, luckily the damage to the church caused by the fire was not severe. Furthermore, candles were broken, fire extinguisher were damaged and the pampas grass contained in a jar was stolen. The church is closed until further notice. The police are investigating.
On 2nd March, the small church of Saint George near the village of Moria on the Island of Lesbos was vandalized by unknown perpetrators. Some locals blamed a group of migrants that live at the nearby camp, claiming that it happened when the police prevented a march of migrants demanding to be transferred to Athens. The perpetrators destroyed icons and furniture. According to the locals, the church has been vandalized several times.
During the night from March 1st to March 2nd, someone broke into and vandalized the church of Trémorel (Côtes-d'Armor). The tabernacle was destroyed and the consecrated hosts were found scattered on the ground.
A 18-year-old-man smashed several windows and doors of the church of the Resurrection and the nearby Martin Luther house on March 1st, using stones. He was cought by the police on the same day.
The church of the Blessed Virgin Mary Mother in Montesilvano was covered in orange paint on March 1st. An unknown perpetrator painted the walls of the church and over the statue of Jesus Christ in front of this religious building.
On New Years Eve, 25 windows were broken on the St. Thomas Church in Leipzig by thrown stones. If people would have been inside, it could have been quite dangerous said pastor Britta Taddiken.
On February 7th to February 8th 2020, an unknown person broke into a polish church in Kędzierzynie. The monstrance and the mass chalice were stolen and the tabernacle has been opened. Additionally, the Blessed Sacrament and consecrated messages were poured onto the altar. The damage amounts to 10.000 zlotys.
Due to many recent acts of vandalism at churches in Arcene, municipalities have started using video surveillance systems and photo traps for the identification of the perpetrators.The last incident occured in the night between February 29th and March 1st where unknown people damaged the churchyard of San Rocco by leaving alcohol bottles and dirt as food, glasses, shopping bags and cans.
On Saturday 29th, all candles in the church of Theresienfeld were found lit, the altar was covered in food remains, and cigarettes and paper was burned at the entrance of the church. The park bench at the nearby bus stop was also set on fire.
On February 28th, a perpetrator lit two candles and placed them placed one on top of and the other under the bench in the church of Remigius in Borken. The candles were discovered and put out at 17:55 by a witness. This led to minor damage.
On the 28th of February, perpetrators desecrated the tabernacle and stole the sacred Hosts from the Church of San Carlo in Pavignano. The police started an investigation. They suspect a satanistic bias, for no things of valor were stolen.
Several Christian graves were vandalized in the cemetery of Andancette. A family who went to the grave of a loved one noticed the damage and alerted the gendarmes on Sunday morning. According to the mayor of Andancette, "around fifteen graves have been damaged with crucifixes, gravestones and plaques broken."
During the night between February 26th and 27th unknown perpetrators broke into the church Saint Michael in Vöhringen, damaged several doors, opened the tabernacle by force and stole two ciboria filled with consecrated hosts. The financial damage amounts to 20,000 euros and the religious loss is incalculable.
On the 25th February, the facade of the Gottsunda Church in Uppsala was set on fire. The fire is suspected to have been provoked. The police patrol discovered the fire, because the flames were several meters high and they called the rescue services. The church was made of wooden, so it took several damages to the facade and the inside. The fire looks like it was intended and the police is investigating a suspicious car which was captured by the cameras. No suspects have been arrested.
On February 25th, an unknown person broke a door handle, attempted to force a display case, overturned statues, and broke the hands of the statue of Our Lady of Lourdes in the collegiate church of Notre-Dame de Villefranche-de-Rouergue in Aveyron.
In Limerzel, the statue of Notre-Dame de la Salette, dated from 1953, was found beheaded.
Unknown vandals damaged the church of St. John Bosco on 23 February. Father Sébastien Petitjean, the parish preist, and Daniel Latta, president of the factory council, visited the site. "We believe that these acts were committed during the night of Tuesday to Wednesday, or even the night before. The damage was done with violence because the stained glass is thick, armed with a metal structure," said the president. Gabriel Muller asked the technical services workers to intervene immediately. "Repairs are underway to restore the church to its original function. We have asked the municipal police and the gendarmerie to investigate. The installed cameras will probably talk. » The investigation is still ongoing.