All cases
Theft from Catholic Church of St Anna
September 11, 2020, GermanySeptember 11th, between 12 and 19:30 hrs, a display case was broken open in the provost church of St. Anna in Schwerin. Unknown perpetrators stole the relic of Saint Ansgar. The perpetrators also broke open two alms boxes in the church. The total damage to property amounts to about 1,400 euros, but the value of the stolen relic has not been quantified. Police opened an investigation.
Inverted Yellow Cross Sprayed on the Door of La Antigua Church in Valladolid
September 10, 2020, SpainA large inverted yellow cross was painted onto the main entrance door of La Antigua Church in Valladolid on September 10th. This is not the first time that the church was vandalized. The perpetrator remains unknown.
War Memorial and Church Vandalised in Les Vigneaux
September 10, 2020, FranceOn September 10, inhabitants of Les Vigneaux discovered that all of the names on the war memorial had been crossed out with paint. Genitals had been painted on the monument as well as on either side of the church door. Mayor Gilles Pierre lodged a complaint.
Damage in the Cemetery and Church of the Madonna del Perpetuo Soccorso
September 9, 2020, ItalyA group of young people climbed over the chapel and broke into the cemetery. The damaged the roof and started throwing the shards of tiles on the street. The police traced and identified the underage perpetrators.
After Facebook Post Pastor Threatened by LGBT Activists with Arson and Physical Assault
September 8, 2020, United KingdomSince the 8th of August, Pastor Josh Williamson and his wife experienced several threats and verbal abuse by the LGBT community, because of posting his belief about homosexuality on Facebook. Among them are the threats to burn his church, to perform sexual acts and protests in front of his church and physical assault. His image was also used on pornographic content and shared online, among other misleading information about him. In his conversation with the Police, Williamson was told to be careful not to break the law by insulting the LGBT community and being charged for hate speech. The threats towards him and his church were not investigated, neither the acts of defamation.
Vandalism in St. Emmeram Church in Spalt
September 8, 2020, GermanyOn September 8, vandals played with fire on the offertory box, set fire to a large wooden cross and broke a candle on the high altar in St. Emmeram Church in Spalt. The damage amounts to several hundred Euros. The police station in Roth initiated an investigation and asked for information of witnesses.
Statue of the Virgin Mary Decapitated in Borgo Sabotino
September 7, 2020, ItalyDuring the night of September 7th unknown perpetrators decapitated the statue of the Virgin Mary, called "Madonnina" by locals, which is situated in Borgo Sabotino in the province of Latina. This was not the first time the statue was vandalized the parish SS Cuore di Gesù states, expressing its deep sorrow over this tragic incident.
Discrimination Against Christian Academics in State-Led Educational Agency
September 7, 2020, SpainThe Observatory of Freedom of Religion (OFRC) in Spain, presented a research project in October 2019, to the National Agency for Evaluation and Prospective Studies (ANEP) under the Ministry of Science and Innovation on a Climate Change topic. The actors involved were the University of Alcalá, the University of Catalonia and researchers of three different universities, from which two have a Christian background. In June 2020 they received a statement that the experience of the members of the research, related to climate change, is doubted and they are afraid of a biased study, given the religious weight of the institutions involved. The OLRC took the case to the Ministry, but it was rejected.
Church Walls Vandalized With Graffiti In Ixelles
September 6, 2020, BelgiumGraffiti was found on the walls of Sainte-Croix Church which is situated close to Flagey Square in Ixelles. Tags include the phrases "God is gay", "Je suis a transwoman" ("I am a trans woman"), as well as an inverted cross and the number "666".
Figure of Christ Damaged on Roadside Cross in Katowicach
September 6, 2020, PolandVandals damaged the figure of Christ on a roadside cross, which is situated at the intersection between Szczecińska, Ściegiennego and Krzyżowa road in Katowicach. The damage was reported by Sw. Józefa Robotnika Parish in Józefowcu.
30-Centimeter-Long Dagger Found Stuck on Church Door
September 6, 2020, GermanyThe Pastor Markus Hasenpusch from the St. John Church in Malchin found a 30-centimeter-long dagger stuck on the door of the church on September 6th. In the door leaf was a 30-centimeter-long dagger with a 17-centimeter large blade. The knife was stuck at a height of 1.60 meters and one centimeter deep in the wood of the church door. The police estimated the damage at 50 euros and is investigating it for " injurious damage to property". The police are investigating and are looking for witnesses.
Sainte-Croix Church Tagged and Vandalized
September 6, 2020, BelgiumThe facade of the Sainte-Croix Church, near Place Flagey in Ixelles, was tagged with "God is gay", "I am a transwoman" or the number "666" with an inverted cross.
Theft from the Catholic Parish Church Maria Himmelfahrt in Blieskastel-Aßweiler
September 5, 2020, GermanyOn the 3rd of September, several sacred objects were stolen from the Catholic parish church Maria Himmelfahrt in Blieskastel-Aßweiler by an unknown perpetrator. The church was unlocked. The objects were a microphone, Bible, altar bells and gong. Police is looking for clues.
Break-in at a Church Office in Nordenham
September 5, 2020, GermanyIn the night between 5th and 6th September, there was a burglary from a church office in Nordenham. Perpetrators forced their way into the building and stole cash.
"Christians are Always Ridiculed": SRF-"Deville" Caused Displeasure
September 4, 2020, SwitzerlandChristians are defamed and ridiculed in the satirical program "Deville". The reopening of churches was called irrelevant and unnecessary by David Koch. He also affirmed, that the Covid-19 pandemic had shown that there was no God. Neither the show nor the satirist found the episode harmful and have not apologized
Man Arrested For Burglary And Degradation Of A Church
September 3, 2020, FranceOn September 3rd in Villeurbanne, the police arrested a 30-year-old homeless man with 62 criminal records who was suspected of committing burglary and degradation of a Christian Church. He was identified through the surveillance cameras and was lately recognized by a witness. He also admitted committing the crimes because of anger towards the religious beliefs.
Man Arrested for Threats and Breaking into Church in Villeurbanne
September 3, 2020, FranceOn September 3, a homeless man, who had 62 previous convictions, was arrested for burglary in the church building of a protestant community called Transfiguration Église Chrétienne in Villeurbanne. A few days earlier the perpetrator had already appeared the church and threatened people because of their religion. The threats concerned the very church he then broke into. He will be charged with burglary.
Vandals Desecrated Church in Xanthi
September 2, 2020, GreeceThe Chapel of St. Alexander was desecrated by unknown vandals in Xanthi, Greece, in the first week of September. The vandals scratched the faces of the Saints and Icons. The exact time of vandalism is unknown.
Series of Thefts in Churches and Diocesan Office
September 2, 2020, FranceIt is not the first time that the Grignan church has witnessed a theft or degradations of the crib. Two years ago, the trunk, contained between 200 and 300 euro, has been stolen. The church in Châtellerault has been target of thefts for years. On March 4, a 53-old man was filmed breaking the lock on the trunk with a pair of wire cutters and stole the contents of the offerings of the faithful from the church of Saint-Marie d'Ozon. On 2nd September, two men robbed a diocesan office in Vieux Lyon. On 30 August, the church of Plounéour-Ménez in Finistère was a victim of an attempted theft. A statue of Saint Thomas was pulled by a robe from the car of three unknown perpetuators.
Vandalism and Insults on Catholic School
September 2, 2020, FranceOn the night of the 2nd of September, the catholic School Saint-Louis/Saint-Bruno was vandalized with a Nazi Symbol of a Swastika on the wall. There was also the inscription "School of crime". Another swastika was also found on the wall of the elementary school in the same area. The inscriptions were erased before the students arrived and the police came to investigate crime.