All cases
Religious Freedom Observatory Denounces Cancellation of Masses
April 13, 2020, SpainThe president of the Observatory for Religious Freedom and Conscience (OLRC) sent a letter to the Minister of the Interior, Fernando Grande-Marlaska, asking for "explanations" and showing her "discomfort" about the suspension of Masses in the course of their celebration that has taken place in different parts of Spain during Lent and Holy Week.
Vandalism in Church St. Nicholas
April 13, 2020, ItalyOn 14th April, the Church St. Nicholas and the Children's playground were found vandalized. The religious newspapers were thrown were thrown away and the slide of the playground was smashed. Mayor asked for witnesses to contact the police and expressed his rejection to this act. The police are investigating.
Arson Attack at Christ the King Church in Backnang
April 13, 2020, GermanyOn Easter Monday in the Christkönigskirche in Backnang, unknown perpetrators entered the church and set it on fire. This happened between 8 and 11 o'clock. They lit the Easter display on a high table and set fire to cloths and a pinboard. A witness was able to extinguish the fire and to prevent a greater damage, according to the police report.
Thieves Broke Into The Sanctuary of Mercy and Attacked Two Parish Priests And Personnel
April 12, 2020, SpainIn the early morning of Sunday 12th April, three individuals with covered faces assaulted the parish house of the Santuari de la Misericòrdia in Canet de Mar. The perpetrators entered to a whole on the fence that protects the rectory, trying to enter the ecclesiastical premises through a window. They went then to the quarters and attacked the parish priests Pere and Joan Travessa and the stewardess, who were beaten and thrown to the ground. The attackers asked where the money was stored but didn't get the information and attacked the custodian of the sanctuary and his assistant. This was the second time in less than a year, that catholic temples are attacked in Maresme.
Offensive Graffiti on The Square in Front of Saint Peter Church
April 12, 2020, FranceOn Sunday 12th April, an Inscription was found on the square in front of the Church in Osseja. This happened during Easter night, when Christians celebrated the Resurrection of Christ. The inscription says "The Church is not the House of God". The Father Christian Burillo reacted very saddened and said this gesture shows the suffering of the people in the city.
Police Suspended an Open-Air Mass Without the Participation of the Faithful
April 12, 2020, SpainOn the 12th of April, the police suspended a Mass being celebrated on the parish courtyard of San Jenaro de Madrid. Although the Mass was being held without the participation of the faithful, it was interrupted by the police and the priests had to be identified. The Madrid City Council stated that the parish had installed without authorization a megaphone outside the building, which had raised "complaints from neighbors".
The Police Evacuated a Holy Mass in San Fernando de Henares
April 12, 2020, SpainOn Easter Sunday, the Police evacuated the parish of San Isidoro in Valencia, were nine people and the priest were gathered. They also interrupted the prayer of the Rosary in an act of Eucharistic adoration. The temple had space for 700 people, so the ten people could sit with plenty of space between them, using masks and gloves. The police allowed them to finish the Mass and warned them that if they did not suspend the church services and activities from now on, they would be sanctioned.
Vejleå Church in Ishøj Vandalized with Islamist Graffiti
April 12, 2020, DenmarkOn April 12th, the Vejleå Church in Ishøj was vandalized with phrases such as, "We conquer Denmark," and, in Arabic, "There is no God but Allah."
Vandalism in Bizantine Church
April 12, 2020, GreeceVandals spray-painted anarchist slogans on the walls of the Byzantine-era Church of Prophet Elias in Thessaloniki.
Church of England Clergy Banned by Bishop from Ministering to Sick and Dying
April 9, 2020, United KingdomRight Reverend Stephen Cottrell, the Bishop of Chelmsford, wrote to all Church of England clergy and volunteer hospital chaplains warning them not to minister to any sick or dying hospital patients showing symptoms of the Corona virus. The intention of this effective ban is to reduce the risk of spreading the infection. However, according to Christian Today reporting on 9 April 2020: “The guidance applies only to temporary volunteer chaplains. Full-time NHS chaplains are permitted to continue ministering face to face”.
Attempted Arson and Vandalism at Christchurch in Graz-Eggenberg
April 8, 2020, AustriaAn unknown perpetrator smashed the window of Christ Church in Graz with a stone and then set newspapers on fire and threw them inside the church through the smashed window. Fortunately, the burning newspapers did not cause a fire inside the church. Witnesses saw the incident and reported it to the police, who asked for help in finding the perpetrator.
Anti-COVID Graffiti on Church Wall
April 7, 2020, GermanySt. Mary Church, St. Nicholas Church, and the Church of the Holy Spirit have been vandalized with anti-COVID graffiti. The churches in Flensburg have been repeatedly vandalized with letters written in red on the façade. "I find this method of expressing opinions completely inappropriate," says the pastor of St. Mary's parish.
Priest Spoke out About Church Vandalism
April 7, 2020, United KingdomThe Church of St. Edward was found vandalized with graffiti on the 7th April. The Priest of the Church, Father Callum Brown, expressed his concern.
Police Cancelled Rooftop Palm Sunday Mass
April 6, 2020, SpainOn Palm Sunday morning, the local police interrupted a Mass celebrated on a rooftop by the priest of the Church of the Paúls in Triana. The members of the community had improvised an altar and lectern. The priest used a speaker to reach the nearest residential blocks. While some residents informed the police saying the rules were being violated, other citizens were angry at the officers for interrupting the Mass. The priests said there were only eight of them on the rooftop, and they all lived in the same house. There was a confrontation between the neighbors supporting the Mass and the ones against it.
Priest Fined and Arrested For Processioning a Crucifix Alone
April 6, 2020, ItalyOn April 6, a the Priest Father Domenico Cirigliano was fined and arrested for 14 days by the police, as he was carrying the miraculous Crucifix from the Church of Blessed Virgin Mary in Rocca Imperiale. He was doing a personal procession through the streets, keeping enough distance from other individuals and his assistant. The Father had told the parishioners he would bless the city in this form of reduced procession. The police reported the act as public departure, not motivated by employment, need or health reasons and had made a demonstration or religious act affecting the streets. In other cities the processions were allowed by the civil authorities.
Model Of Basilica Of San Simplicio Di Olbia Vandalized
April 5, 2020, ItalyThe model of the basilica of San Simplicio in Olbia, a meticulous reconstruction and a symbol of the city, was damaged by vandals. Unknown perpetrators broke the roof and the top of the facade. This incident occurred while the city was on lock-down due to the corona virus. It was not the first time the monument had been vandalized.
Vandalism and Theft in Saint-Laurent Church in Lambezellec During the Lockdown
April 5, 2020, FranceOn Sunday 5th April, Father Jean Baptiste Gless noted the degradation and theft at the Church Saint-Laurent of Lambezellec in Brest. The candlesticks and candles were overturned and the lamp of the tabernacle was stolen. The parish priest refuses to close the doors of the church due to the degradation, because he says the perpetrators shall not win, he always leaves the door open in the morning, so that people can meditate and pray. During the Lockdown, the priest also prayed for the people of the town, and he hung a sign on the facade saying "Take care of you all, we pray for you".
Parish Offices of the Church of Amabilina Vandalized
April 4, 2020, ItalyUnknown intruders vandalized the parish offices of the San Giovanni Maria Vianney of Amabilina church in Marsala. The printer and the drawer of the photocopier were opened and the electrical wire was cut. Nothing was stolen because money and valuables had been removed while the church remains closed due to corona virus precautions.
Golden Cross Stolen from Osnabrück Chruch
April 3, 2020, GermanySometime during Holy Week unknown perpetrators broke open a glass case in the St. Joseph Church in the Miquelstraße in Osnabrück and stole a golden cross. The police are investigating and searching for witnesses.
The Police Evacuated A Church Even Though the Regulations Allow Mass in Churches
April 3, 2020, SpainOn 3. April, the national Police evacuated the church of San Servando y San Germán, in the district La Laguna of Cádiz. The Police said that the security measures for the Covid-19 Pandemic were not being held at the mass. The parish priest wrote afterwards an open letter, assuring that the fifteen parishioners in the Mass were taking the right measures, and that the evacuation was not justified.
Hateful and Stigmatised Speech Against Evangelical Christians
April 3, 2020, FranceFollowing the incident where The Open Doors Church was unfairly accused of spreading the Covid-19 infections, Christians have experienced intolerance and hate-speech all around France. Thierry Le Gall, from the national evangelical Council, mentions that in the last weeks they collected a lot of violent comments on social media, saying that the Christians should be erased or that they should not be in the country. Also, Pastors have received threats through letters and phone calls. Le Gall believes these attacks are because of ignorance about religion, intolerance and a scapegoat mechanism.
Window Smashed at Protestant Church
April 1, 2020, GermanyAn unknown person smashed a window of the evangelischen Gemeinde Mainz-Laubenheim with a stone between April 1st and 2nd. The police are investigating and searching for witnesses.
The Police Reported a Priest Who Was Celebrating Mass With 5 People
March 31, 2020, SpainOn the 31. March two police agents knocked on the door of the Church in Valldoreix and said to the priest "It's prohibited to open the Church and you are a murderer." They denounced the priest, although there were only five people present including the priest, and the Mass was celebrated with the regulations and on a legal basis.
Repeated Burglary At Catholic Church
March 30, 2020, GermanyOn March 30th between 09:00 and 19:45, unknown perpetrators broke into the Catholic church in the Brüder-Grimm-Straße in Vellmar. They opened the door of the sacristy, the organ control panel, the cover of the baptismal font, the safe, and searched several cupboards before fleeing in an unknown direction. The total damage amounts to 1.000 euro. The police are investigating and searching for witnesses.
Fire at Catholic Church in Rohrbach
March 29, 2020, GermanySunday afternoon unknown perpetrators set fire to the catholic church in the Sudetenstraße in Rohrbach. A stacks of newspapers caught fire at the rear entrance of the church. The firefighters quickly extinguished the fire, so only the church walls and the door were slightly affected. The police are investigating and searching for witnesses.
Police Raids on Italian Churches Raise Religious Freedom Concerns
March 29, 2020, ItalyAn unclear regulation about churches caused difficulties between churches and police. The Cardinal Gualtiero Bassetti of Perugia, president of the Italian bishops' conference, asked the government to clarify these rules. During the Lockdown, the churches were allowed to be opened, but the assistance of a Mass was not declared as a vital necessity. The police raided several Mass being celebrated by small groups of people separated throughout the church and some bishops received reports of hundreds of euros for organising a mass.
Polish Village Shocked over Vandalism in Cemetery
March 28, 2020, PolandDuring the night between the 28th and 29th of March unknown people vandalized several tombstones, knocked over plaques and crosses, and broke many candles in the parish cemetery in Wysoka, despite the corona virus lockdown measures in Poland. The police are investigating and searching for witnesses.
Vandalism at St. Remigius Church
March 28, 2020, GermanyOn the afternoon of March 28th, an unknown perpetrator broke into and damaged the organ case of the church Saint Remigius in Ingelheim. Furthermore, one page of the Gospel book, which has been laid out and opened, was set on fire. Just before this criminal incident a witness noticed a "strange" man, who pretended to want to play something on the organ. The police are investigating and searching for more witnesses.
Theft of Statue of the Virgin Mary in Dorsten
March 27, 2020, GermanyOn March 25th a statue of the Virgin Mary was stolen from the St. Antonius church in Dorsten. CCTV captured a couple entering the church and stealing the relic. The police is investigating and asking the public for help to find the statue, as it has a high ideational value for the parish.
Significant Vandalism in St. Michael Kirche
March 26, 2020, GermanyBetween 6:00 and 7:20 pm on the evening of March 26th, an unknown perpetrator vandalized the St. Michael Kirche on Kämpenstraße in Versmold. A shelf with Easter candles was knocked over, and the candles were scattered throughout the church. A large glass sanctuary lamp with the eternal flame candle was destroyed and a microphone was torn out of the ambo. The police are investigating and searching for witnesses.
Protestant Church In Dreieichenhain Vandalised
March 25, 2020, GermanyBetween Tuesday evening and Wednesday afternoon, three windows of the Protestant church in the Fahrgasse in Dreieichenhain were damaged by an unknown perpetrator. Two windows had a hole and the glass of the third one was cracked. The damage amounts to 500 euros. The police are investigating and searching for witnesses.
An Angel Statue Vandalised
March 25, 2020, PolandIn the night of March 25th, two wooden statues; one of an angel and the other of a woman, were damaged in Kadzidlin. An unknown person cut off the wing of the angel standing by the building of the Municipal Library as well as the upper part of the woman`s figure. The whole damage amounts to 4.000 zlotys. A 43-year-old was caught and admitted the crime using a petrol saw. According to the Criminal Code, the crime committed by the 43-year-old man for unknown reasons is punishable by up to 5 years in prison.
Offensive Graffiti on Church Door in Poznań
March 25, 2020, PolandThe main entrance door of the church on Dąbrówki Street in Poznań was smeared by an unknown perpetrator during the night of March 24th to March 25th. An anarchist "A" symbol was sprayed on a pillar and the phrase "zdejmij suknię śmieciu" This roughly translates to: "take off your dress, punk" in blue paint was sprayed on the church. The police are investigating and searching for witnesses.
Graffiti On Door Of The Church Saint-Hermeland
March 25, 2020, FranceIn the night between March 25th and March 26th, a graffiti with the slogan "Vive le marriage libre" (Long live free marriage) was sprayed on the door of the church of Saint-Hermeland in Loire-Atlantique. The police immediately identified the perpetrator, a well-known militant in anarchist circles.
Anti-Christian Graffiti On The Church of Bouguenais
March 25, 2020, FranceOn 25th March in Bouguenais, graffities were discovered on the walls of the city and the entrance of the church with hostile phrases saying "Save a Life, cough up a policeman", "Hang the Priests and Hang the Counts" and "No God, No Father, No Mother".
Vandalism in Cemetery of Wysokie: Broken Crosses and Plates
March 25, 2020, PolandAround the end of March, a 22-year-old perpetrator entered the cemetery in Wysokie and devastated three graves. He destroyed plates, torn off the crosses and broke them and damaged the flacons, he also smashed the candles all over the cemetery. The total damage was estimated to be over 4.700 Zlotys. The police officers arrested the young man. In Niepolomice, the officers detained also a 28-year-old man in Podłęże for a similar crime.
Church and Oratory Vandalized and Desecrated In Two Consecutive Days
March 24, 2020, ItalyOn the 24th March, the ancient precious monstrance and a chalice were stolen from the local church in Ariano. The thieves attacked the religious building by smashing the windows and doors, overturning the crucifix and throwing consecrated hosts on the floor. The unknown perpetrators broke in through the side entrance after failing to use the main entrance. The community of Crociara was in shock after this incident. On the next day 25th March, the municipality of Corbola was also attacked, the sports field was damaged and the Oratory of Corbola was raided. The scene was similar as in Crociara, the windows and doors were broken and burglary took place.
Evangelical Church Dorfkirche Vandalized
March 24, 2020, GermanyIn the afternoon of March 24th, a 43-year-old man broke into the evangelical church Dorfkirche in the district of Karow in Berlin and destroyed the interior. The man climbed up to the organ loft and shouted incomprehensible words, probably in a foreign language. When the police tried to arrest him he pushed them back, threatened them with a wooden plank and went on vandalizing the church. The police reinforcement was finally able to arrest the man and took him to a psychiatric hospital. The reason for this crime is unknown.
The Church in The District of Pankow Vandalized
March 24, 2020, GermanyOn Tuesday 24th March, a 43-year-old man devastated a Church with wooden slats and hit the police officers. The man first damaged the interior of the building and then went to the organ balcony, and shouted incomprehensible words. When the police approached, he hit them with the wooden slat and continued to destroy the church furniture. The officers called reinforcements and were able to arrest the man and took him to a psychiatric hospital.
Religious Statues Stoned by Vandals
March 23, 2020, ItalyAround March 15th, unknown perpetrators stoned the statues of the Virgin Mary and Pope John Paul II placed next to the entrance of the church San Martino in Magnago.
Theft from Church in Mantes-La-Ville
March 23, 2020, FranceWhile France is subject to lockdown measures related to the coronavirus, thieves stole three video projectors and the money collected during Masses from the safe in the church of Sacré-Cœur in Mantes-la-Ville on March 23rd.
Small thefts from the Church of Mantes-la-Ville During the Confinement
March 23, 2020, FranceOn the 23rd of March, unknown thieves stole video projectors and money during the quests. The amount of the theft remains unknown.
Two Churches In Laubenheim Vandalised
March 22, 2020, GermanyTwo window panels and one element at the back window of the protestant church in Laubenheim have been broken. A lead glass element at the Catholic church and a large pane at the community center have been damaged too. The perpetrator had shared the committed crime on Facebook before being arrested by the police. The damage was repaired within two weeks, but the costs were tremendous.
A Historic Chapel in Wachtberg-Werthoven Defaced
March 22, 2020, GermanyAround the 20th March, the Jakobus Chapel in the Village of Wachtberg-Werthhoven was defaced with graffiti by unknown vandals. Hate messages like "ACAB" (All Cops Are Bastards) or "Fuck AfD" were written on the walls and the door. There were also combinations of numbers and other signs. The oak door of the Chapel had been repaired by volunteers the year before. The police started investigating, as similar acts took place in neighbouring villages.
Dąbrowa Górnicza Church Desecrated
March 21, 2020, PolandOn March 21stM a drunk 41-year-old man broke into the church of Dąbrowa Górnicza and profaned the historic altars of Our Lady of the Angels. The man was stopped by priests and put under arrest by the police.
After Arson In 2015 Luther Church Targeted by Criminals Again
March 21, 2020, GermanyIn the night between March 21th and March 22th, unknown perpetrators tried to break into the Luther church in Altena. They were able to unhinge the large and heavy oak door, but the criminal act was disturbed by the security alarm. Nothing was stolen, but the police are investigating and searching for witnesses.
Fire Set in Saint Anna Church
March 21, 2020, GermanyAn unknown person set fire to the seat cushion of a wooden prayer bench in the Catholic Church of Saint Anna in Blieskastel-Biesingen. This incident happened between the evening of March 21st and the afternoon of March 22. The police are investigating and searching for witnesses.
Nativity Figures Stolen from a Church
March 21, 2020, GermanyUnknown perpetrators broke into the Evangelical church on the Ringstraße in Aldekerk, Kerken through a broken window between the evening of March 21st and the morning of the 22nd. They searched several cupboards and stole two nativity figures, before fleeing in an unknown direction. The police are investigating.
Church Window Broken With A Whisky Bottle
March 21, 2020, GermanyAn unknown perpetrator threw a whisky bottle at a window of the protestant church Mainz-Laubenheim and broke it. The police are investigating and searching for witnesses.
Burglary In Catholic Sacristy in Reichenbach-Steegen
March 21, 2020, GermanyBetween Saturday 21th evening and Monday 30th morning unknown thieves stole cash and chalices from the sacristy of the Catholic church in Reichenbach-Steegen. The chalices are sacred and used for holding religious services. The police are investigating and searching for witnesses.