All cases
Nativity Vandalized on Christmas Eve
December 24, 2019, ItalyMario Seghezzi, the mayor of Martinengo, reported on Facebook that vandals destroyed the nativity scene installed near the parish church: “I am truly sorry for the vile act that took place on Christmas Eve. An act that hurts the serenity, magic, and warmth of Christmas." Because the vandalism was recorded by video surveillance cameras, the mayor expressed hope that the three identified vandals would repair the damage.
Cemetery Vandalized; Crosses Smashed
December 22, 2019, BelgiumMore than a dozen graves at the cemetery next to the Saint-Jean-Baptiste church in Villeroux were vandalized during the night between December 21st and 22nd. Gravestones were knocked over and crosses were smashed.
Burglars Damage Church Door in Geislingen
December 20, 2019, GermanyBurglars damaged the door of the Geislingen church on the 20th of December. The thieves stole a money box that was secured with a chain and broke through the historic door to do so. Not much money was stolen but the property damage was significant.
Anti-Fascists Activists Stole a Baby Jesus in Castellón
December 19, 2019, SpainOn December 19th, the Anti-Fascist Brigades (BAF) claimed responsibility for the theft of a baby Jesus from the Plaza Mayor in Castellón. They posted on Facebook that they demand the release of Catalan politicians who are in prison to return the figure. In the place of the Statuette, they left a yellow ribbon, which is the symbol of the Catalan political leaders.
Researcher Who Lost job for Tweeting ‘Men Cannot Change into Women’ Loses Employment Tribunal
December 18, 2019, United KingdomOn December 18th, a judge in an employment tribunal ruled against Maya Forstater, a tax expert at the Centre for Global Development, who defended her right to say on social media that men cannot become ‘women’ by undergoing gender reassignment treatment. Employment Judge Taylor ruled that her belief that biological sex cannot be changed “did not have the protected characteristic of a philosophical belief.” She had tweeted that “men cannot change into women” as part of an argument about the government’s proposed reforms to the Gender Recognition Act. This was not deemed a "protected belief" under the Equality Act 2010.
Municipal Crèche and Christmas Decorations in Saint-Éloy-des-Mines Vandalized
December 18, 2019, FranceDuring the night from the 17th to 18th of December, the crèche installed on Place Charles-de-Gaulle and Christmas decorations at the town hall were destroyed. The heads of the life-sized figures representing Mary, Joseph and two wise men were cut off, and arms torn off. Garlands and fir trees in front of the town hall were damaged or stolen. “We are still in a Judeo-Christian country," said the mayor, "we can believe it or not, it remains deplorable to attack a crèche and decorations. We do that for the children... they were shocked this morning seeing all this damage."
Toulouse: Living Nativity Disrupted by Activists; Journalist Assaulted
December 15, 2019, FranceThe 2019 edition of the living crèche in Toulouse had to be shortened after the intervention of counter-demonstrators in front of frightened children. Around fifty far-left demonstrators whistled at the choir, chanted blasphemous songs, and insulted participants before coming to blows with some, arguing "that this event was illegal in a secular state."
Blasphemous Photo
December 15, 2019, ItalyAn obscene and insulting poster was discovered on display outside Rome’s Museum of Modern Art. Titled “ECCE HOMO ERECTUS,” the poster portrays Jesus as a pedophile.
Fire in Loire Church During Mass
December 15, 2019, FranceIn Saint-Just-en-Bas (Loire), 300 m² of the roof of the local church went up in flames on Sunday, December 15, during the morning Mass. An official of the commune sounded the alert when he saw an unusual smoke coming from the nave. The church was evacuated and no casualties were reported. The cause of the fire is under investigation.
Angolo Terme Nativity Scene Vandalized
December 14, 2019, ItalyOn December 14th, unknown vandals beheaded the statue of St. Joseph, placed the ox and the donkey figures in an obscene position, and threw litter inside the small nativity scene installed by municipal volunteers in Angolo Terme .
Christmas Crèche Hit by Two Sets of Vandals
December 12, 2019, ItalyVideo surveillance captured the images of two sets of vandals attacking the nativity scene installed in the Lecce Piazza Duomo during the early morning hours (1:00 a.m. and 4:00 a.m.) of December 12th.
Catholic Youth Center in Munich Targeted by Vandals
December 11, 2019, GermanyA few weeks after four churches around Munich were painted with leftist slogans, the Salesianum, a Catholic youth center run by the religious community of Don Bosco, was vandalized with swastikas, SS runes, and "Widerstand Süd," a neo-Nazi network. According to reports, the location was likely not chosen by chance, because the Salesianum also looks after underage refugees.
German Church Windows Targeted by Vandals
December 11, 2019, GermanyThe windows of St. Peter's Church in Hüsten in Germany were damaged by vandals who were caught throwing stones. After witnesses heard the sound of stones hitting the church, police patrol cars caught the perpetrators. An investigation continues
Visit by Saint Nicholas Cancelled by School
December 10, 2019, FranceIn the name of secularism, the director of the Gustave Ansart school group, a public establishment in the commune of Thiant, Academy of Lille, refused to permit a visit from Saint Nicholas inside the school. This departs from a well-established tradition and one eagerly awaited by school children.
Graffiti and Vandalism on Church in Bisceglie
December 9, 2019, ItalyThe outer walls of the parish of Sant'Agostino in Bisceglie were vandalized with spray-painted graffiti during the night between the 8th and 9th of December. According to the parish priest, this is not the first time he has had to go to the police to file a complaint. "I have been asking for help to find a solution for 5 years," he explained.
Laica Europa Issues Statement on "International Secularism Day"
December 9, 2019, SpainEuropa Laica wrote to demand "the denunciation and repeal of the 1979 Agreements with the Holy See, and those of 1992 with other confessions", as well as the "priority of public and secular schools, free of religious indoctrination or of any kind, as a way of overcoming the inequality generated by an educational system in concert with the Catholic school financed by the public treasury." Additionally, the group demands the abolishment of the economic and fiscal privileges enjoyed by the Catholic Church, as well as the promulgation of a "Freedom of Conscience" law.
British Christmas Card Producer under fire for deeply offensive products
December 8, 2019, United KingdomA line of Christmas cards produced by British card company 'Love Layla' caused controversy for including messages mocking some of the deeply held beliefs of the Christian faith. The cards included taglines which call into question the Virgin Mary's miraculous conception, and which refer to Jesus as "a bloke that wore socks with sandals." Speaking to the Daily Mirror, James Mildred, for Christian Action Research and Education (CARE) said, "A lot of Christians will be deeply offended by this sort of thing...It highlights a fundamental hypocrisy that Christianity is seen as fair game to mock, disparage and insult."
Vandals in Action in the Cemetery of Salerno
December 8, 2019, ItalyUnidentified vandals looted some tombstones and graves, in the Cemetery of Salerno. They stole flower boxes, frames, and metal writings on the tombs. It was not the first time the cemetery was the target of vandalism, for which the institutions in charge demand more control of the premises.
Handmade Nativity Figures Damaged by Vandals
December 7, 2019, ItalyDuring the night of December 7th (the night before they were to be displayed), unknown vandals damaged the nativity figures in Palau. The town's inhabitants, along with the artist Mario Spano, known as Marieddu, who spent months making them by hand, were dismayed by the act.
Four Munich Churches Vandalized with Anti-Christian messages
December 6, 2019, GermanyPolice suspect leftist activists were responsible for the vandalism of four Munich-area churches that left parishioners outraged and dismayed. Slogans such as "Burn the churches down" and "Neither God nor master - destroy the patriarchy" were painted on the entrances of the churches resulting in thousands of euros in damage.