All cases
Man Damages Statue and Sets Fire to Church in Spilt
March 22, 2025, CroatiaOn 22 March 2025, in the church of St. Dominic in Split, a man damaged a statue and then started a fire on the candle stand with a gas lighter which caught fire when it was left on a candle, and the flame spread to the plastic candle holders on the stand. He is also suspected of stealing a metal gas bottle from a cupboard in the church.
Retired pastor faces trial for public worship service near abortion clinic
March 21, 2025, United KingdomClive Johnston, a retired pastor in Northern Ireland is facing trial for holding an open-air Christian service near an abortion clinic, raising serious concerns about the impact of so-called ‘buffer zone’ laws on religious freedom and freedom of expression.
Serious episodes of vandalism: Easter candle soiled with excrement
March 20, 2025, GermanySeveral churches in the Kraichgau region have recently suffered damage. Kürnbach has been the victim of vandalism twice - someone relieved himself and damaged candles and the altar bible. In Zaisenhausen, six windows were smashed with stones. In Bretten-Büchig the organ was covered with a sticky liquid.
Court dismisses case against Christian preacher prosecuted for criticising Islam
March 14, 2025, United KingdomOn 12 March, a British court found Christian street preacher Karandeep Mamman not guilty of "causing religious harassment, alarm or distress" after he publicly criticised the Koran during a street sermon in January 2023. Listeners also reacted aggressively to him, threatening to beat him up and ''cut his throat'' and only letting him go after police arrived.
Wayside cross damaged
March 13, 2025, GermanyUnknown offenders have desecrated a cross on a footpath and cycle path near Haar, east of Munich. The left arm of the crucified Jesus was torn off and half a foot was chopped off.
Serious episode of desecration
March 12, 2025, ItalyUnknown assailants broke into the Church of St Paul the Apostle in Borgo Nuovo during the night, ransacked the parish and stole the chalice and the pyx containing the consecrated hosts.
Teenagers commit crimes in church
March 10, 2025, GermanyIn Quedlinburg, a trio of teenagers threw stones at a man at St. Benedict's Church. The church door was damaged. The man also observed one of the teenagers drawing a swastika in the guest book.
Church in Brittany vandalised twice in two weeks
March 10, 2025, FranceVandalism and burglaries have been reported in Treffiagat-Léchiagat, France. The church of Notre-Dame des Flots has been attacked twice since the beginning of March. The damage to the religious building was shocking to the faithful: smashed candles, torn liturgical books, overturned pews, broken vases and more.
Acid attack on Christian café: 15 attacks since July 2024
March 10, 2025, GermanyThe Café "Stay" of an evangelical free church in Leipzig has been attacked with butyric acid. The perpetrators probably poured acid into the coffee shop through the keyhole of the entrance door. The owners had to call the fire brigade. The perpetrators are suspected to be left-wing extremists. This is the 15th attack on the Christian café since July 2024.
Altar cloth set on fire
March 8, 2025, ItalyUnknown persons set fire to the cloth covering the main altar of the church of San Francesco, the sanctuary of San Nicola Greco. The cause of the crime is still unknown, although there has been a lot of vandalism in the city in recent weeks.
Church closed outside service due to repeated vandalism
March 3, 2025, ItalyThe Parish of the Santissimi Petro e Giacomo Apostoli has decided to close the Church of San Giacomo, in Via Roma, except during liturgical celebrations due to increasing vandalism. The church has repeatedly had flower pots, offerings and stations of the cross stolen, as well as the figure of Jesus from the nativity scene and excrement behind the altar.
Vandals target Baptist Church
March 3, 2025, IrelandA Limavady Baptist the church in Northern Ireland has been targeted by vandals who destroyed a sign advertising a children's Sunday School. It was deliberately destroyed—torn up and rendered useless.
Pait attack on Mühlhausen church
March 2, 2025, GermanyVandals sprayed pink paint on the front door, display case and adjacent wall of the Evangelical Free Church in Mühlhausen. The perpetrator then fled the scene.
Desecration: Gave crosses turned upside down
March 2, 2025, GermanyUnknown perpetrators dug up seven grave crosses at the Erzhütten cemetery in Germany over the weekend and put them back in the ground upside down. According to police, at least two crosses and one grave were damaged.
Baptist church vandalised with Antifa
February 28, 2025, HungaryOn 28 February, the Baptist congregation in Székesfehérvár, Hungary, discovered that the facade of their church building had been vandalised with the slogan "God is dead". The graffiti also contained antifa symbols.
Riot in church in Neheim
February 28, 2025, GermanyAn unknown offender has vandalised the Catholic church of St John the Baptist in Neheim. The man destroyed a cross, broke off the head and arms of a figure of Jesus, knocked over candlesticks and tore and smeared tablecloths on the high altar. He also spilled liquids and scattered books on the floor.
Christian Midwife Student Suspended over Expressing Conscientious Objections
February 28, 2025, United KingdomSara Spencer, a Christian midwifery student in Scotland, has been suspended from her National Health Service placement for comments she made on a private Facebook forum explaining her conscientious objection to performing abortions. Despite being cleared of any wrongdoing, Spencer's professors at Edinburgh Napier University have continued to warn her against expressing "inappropriate" pro-life views.
Vandalism of Chapel in Olbia
February 26, 2025, ItalyOn 26 February, the parish priest of Sant'Ignazio da Laconi found the small church of San Vittore in Olbia vandalised. Unknown perpetrators had broken rosaries, altar candlesticks and several other sacred objects. The police are now investigating the incident.
Suspected Arson Attack on Church in Saumur
February 26, 2025, FranceOn 26 February, a fire destroyed the 17th century door of the church of Notre-Dame-des-Ardilliers in Saumur (Maine-et-Loire, France). Around thirty firefighters and a dozen vehicles were mobilised to bring the fire under control. Although the cause of the fire is still under investigation, the authorities suspect arson and have launched an investigation.
Christian prayer leader first charged under Scotland's buffer zone law
February 24, 2025, United KingdomRose Docherty, a 74-year-old Christian and leader of the pro-life prayer group "40 Days for Life", has become the first person to be arrested under Scotland's new abortion 'buffer zone' law for holding a silent vigil near a Glasgow hospital. The law, which criminalises any attempt to 'influence' abortion decisions within 200 metres of a facility, raises fundamental rights concerns. Pro-life groups plan to hold upcoming prayer vigils only outside the buffer zones, but politicians are already pushing for further extensions of the zones.