All cases
Profanation of Symbols by Militant Feminists Protesting Against Abortion Law
October 31, 2020, PolandThe protestors against the new Abortion Law in Poland have until now vandalized and disrupted several religious places and monuments. They are also putting masks on Mary's face or an asterix above her head, which refer to the insult "Jebác PiS". The councillor of the PiS, Dariusz Matecki, denounced these incidents on his Twitter account on October 31st, also referring to the insults and violent acts against the church and the authorities.
Catholic Nun Physically Attacked on Public Transportation
October 31, 2020, AustriaIn Graz, a catholic nun was attacked in a bus by a 19-year-old man from Afghanistan on October 31st. The 76-year-old nun was on a bus, when she was slapped on her ear by the perpetrator, who tried to flee. The slap was so hard that the hearing aid of the woman fell out, fortunately she did not suffer any injuries. The police arrested the man with the help of the surveillance camera footage of the bus.
Monument for Unborn Children Vandalized in Polish Cemetery
October 31, 2020, PolandUnknown perpetratros vandalized a monument for unborn children at the cemetery of Brzezówka in Cieszyn, during the night of October 31st. Black paint was poured over the monument. The local authorities reported the case to the police from Cieszyn.
Church Tagged With Vulgar and Anti-Church Slogans
October 31, 2020, PolandOn the night of October 31st, the Church of Our Lady and St. Michael in Blachownia was tagged with spray-paint by unknown perpetrators. They left five vulgar slogans, anti-church and anti-government tags. On top of that, someone cut the padlocks from the cemetery, which remained closed. The acts were reported to the police, who is running an investigation.
Feminist Protesters Interrupt Church Service and Physically Attack Church Members
October 30, 2020, PolandOn October 30th the protests and acts of vandalism against the Church continue in Poland. In one incident protesters even acted violently. Two young girls entered the Church "Christ the Savior" in Gdańsk during Communion and disturbed it and were escorted away by a man. This caused a violent reaction and the young women tried to run back in to the church, being forced to stay outside, one of them hit a man on the head with her phone and shouted profanities. According to the witnesses, the other woman tried to kick a man and threatened him with a knife.
Multiple Statues Destroyed in Courtyard of Parish Church
October 30, 2020, PolandDuring the night of October 30th, unknown vandals entered the courtyard of the parish church of the Immaculate Conception of the Blessed Virgin in Chrzastawa Wielka and destroyed the statues of Our Lady of Fatima and other Saints. The police was informed and the parish informed. The police arrested a 46-year-old perpetrator on the next day.
Posters With Insulting Slogans Hung On the Door of St. Joseph Church
October 30, 2020, PolandThe parish of Ciechanow reported on October 30th, that posters were hung on the door of the church of St. Joseph. Slogans saying "If the altar boys got pregnant, abortion would be a sacrament", "My sisters are not incubators", "You have blood on your hands", "Abortion without borders" and "Choice is not compulsion" were displayed together with the symbol of a lightning, which is the "Women's Strike" symbol. The same attacks took place in the cities of Plock, Gostynin and Dzierzenin.
New Figures Show Churches Targeted For Theft and Vandalism
October 30, 2020, United KingdomAccording to figures published by Countryside Alliance, a total of 212 crimes were reported against churches in Devon and Cornwall over the last year, reported by Cornwall Live on October 30th. The request of the Freedom of Information Act was made to the Police, which revealed the target of churches for lead thefts, but also vandalism, violence, assault and burglary. The government made a commitment to protect places of worship with a crime action plan 2016-2020, which should provide security measures at places of worship vulnerable to hate crimes.
Terrorist Attack On Church in Nice: Three Christians Killed
October 29, 2020, FranceThree Christians were murdered, two were practically beheaded and one stabbed to death inside the Notre Dame Basilica around 9 a.m in Nice on October 29th. The French police has arrested the attacker, who is a Tunisian man called A. Brahim. The victims were the 55-year-old caretaker, Vincent Loqués, a 60-year-old lady that was praying and a 44-year-old woman, mother of three small children. According to the police report, several other people were hurt. The elderly woman and the man were killed inside the Basilica, the younger woman was fatally stabbed, ran away and died in a bar in front of the Basilica.
Attack Against St.Anton Church in Vienna
October 29, 2020, AustriaIn Vienna, about 30 to 50 young people with a Turkish background entered the church St. Anton on the evening of October 28th. The group rioted and kicked against benches and the confessional while shouting Islamist slogans like "Allahu Akbar". A surveillance camera recorded the scene. Two weeks prior to this incident the church and its surroundings started to be molested by the group. It is belived that the incidnet is connected to the re-publishing of the caricatures of the prophet Mohammed in France. The police is investigating and surveilling the area.
Church Bench Set on Fire in Cologne
October 29, 2020, GermanyIn the Catholic parish Church in Cologne-Longerich, unknown perpetrators set fire to a bench by pouring the disinfectant over it and then placed a burning cushion on top of it. The arson took place in the afternoon of October 29th. Fortunately the flames didn't spread much, the sexton noticed the incident later. The police started an investigation on suspicion of attempted arson. Witnesses are asked to provide further information.
20 Tombstones Vandalized and Desecrated in Polish Cemetery
October 28, 2020, PolandAn act of vandalism at the parish cemetery in Luboszyce took place on the night of October 28th. Around 20 tombstones have been devastated by unknown perpetrators. Many crosses and gravestones have been overturned, some graves were opened and the small figures of angels or candles have been smashed. The police investigated the case and later arrested a 34-year-old man.
A Group of Young People Vandalized the Russian Church Garden
October 28, 2020, ItalyIt was reported on the 28th of October that a group of young people gathered at night in the garden of the Russian Church in Bari. Some of them vandalized it and left the place in a bad state. A citizen witnessed this gathering and reported the incident on Facebook to the mayor Antonio Decaro.
Wooden Church Almost Completely Burned Down
October 28, 2020, Czech RepublicIn the Kinsky Garden in Prague, the wooden Orthodox Church of St. Michael was almost completely burned down. According to the first information, a fire broke out in the lower part of the wooden structure. However, the fire spread throughout the whole building. The cause is not yet known, and the police is investigating the cause and origin of the fire. The small tower of the church collapsed; the firefighters extinguished the flames.
Convent of the Carmelite is Vandalized with Offensive and Vulgar Slogans
October 28, 2020, PolandIn Warsaw, the facade of the Carmelite convent was smeared by unknown vandals. Offensive and vulgar slogans were written on the outer walls, which the nuns renovated for years. The vandalism happened during the night of October 28th.
Church in Meriadec Repeatedly Vandalized
October 28, 2020, FranceOn October 28th, the church in Meriádec was vandalized again. Unknown vandals shattered the stained-glass windows of the church by throwing stones. The parish committee has decided to file a complaint, as this is not the first time that vandalism has happened. The cost of the repairs are being evaluated and the police is investigating.
Church Windows Vandalized in Lüdge, Germany
October 27, 2020, GermanyDuring the night of October 27th in Lüdge, unknown vandals damaged several windows of the parish Church St. Marien, situated on one of the main streets of the town. The caused damage is estimated to be 1.500 Euros and the police is asking for further information from witnesses.
Abortion Supporters Attack People Defending Church in Poznan
October 27, 2020, PolandOn the 27th of October 2020, during the violent demonstrations after the Constitutional Tribunal ruled on eugenic abortion in Poland, several people who were defending a church on Fredry Street in Poznań were attacked. Supporters of abortion had allegedly wanted to vandalize this church but upon finding people defending it, they attacked them with tear gas, wooden rods, and batons. The defenders claim nothing preceded the attack.
Ancient Relics Stolen From St. Wolfgang's Church
October 26, 2020, GermanyOn October 26th, thousand-year-old relics were stolen from the St. Wolfgang church in Regensburg. The non-material damage is estimated at several thousand Euros, as the relics were the last mortal remains of the Saint. The relics were forcefully taken out of a bulletproof glass and steel case from the grave of St. Wolfgang, which is located in the entrance area of the church. The police is investigating and asking for witnesses. After ongoing investigations, the police says the thieves were professionals and that it looks like a planned act.
Revealed Number of Crimes Against Churches and Christian Buildings, Cumbria is the Fourth Lowest Country with 47 Cases In One Year
October 26, 2020, United KingdomThe Countryside Alliance has examined the number of crimes committed against churches or religious buildings, and released the numbers for the last 12 years. In the UK nationwide, 6,000 crime cases have been reported. In Cumbria, which is the fourth lowest country in terms of such crimes, 47 cases have been reported in one year. Last year the Countryside Alliance's also reported 20,000 crimes against churches and religious buildings in the UK in the lapse of 2 years.