All cases
Parish Priest Reports Reocurring Incidents Of Vandalism
February 5, 2026, GermanyIn the Allgäu region of southern Germany, parish priests have reported recurring incidents of vandalism, theft, and disruptive behaviour in churches, raising concerns about declining respect for places of worship. The reports point to a pattern of repeated disturbances rather than a single isolated incident.
Allershausen Church Targeted in Arson Incident
January 15, 2026, GermanyA deliberate fire was set inside St. Josef church in Allershausen, Bavaria, causing damage to the interior.
Inverted Cross, Scattered Ash and Property Damage in Lutheran Church
January 14, 2026, GermanyVandals targeted the Lutheran Church in Bad Marienberg, Westerwald, Germany, overturning furniture, scattering ash, and inverting a wooden cross, causing damage to both property and religious symbols.
Altar and Prayer Books Defaced at Catholic Church in Gersfeld
January 7, 2026, GermanyVandals targeted the Catholic church of Mariä Himmelfahrt in Gersfeld between 5 and 6 January, defacing prayer and altar books, in an incident possibly linked to vandalism at the evangelical‑lutheran Baroque church the day before.
Vienna Church Repeatedly Targeted by Graffiti Vandalism
December 30, 2025, AustriaSt. Johann Evangelist Church in Vienna was defaced with graffiti on December 30, 2025, including Arabic writing and an Antifa symbol. Police launched an investigation amid political condemnation and reports of repeated targeting of the site.
Windows Smashed at 13th‑Century Church
December 19, 2025, GermanyUnknown perpetrators shattered six windowpanes at the historic St. Johann church, prompting a police investigation and public appeals for information.
Vandalism Prompts Temporary Closure of Church
October 22, 2025, GermanyRepeated acts of vandalism at Heilig Kreuz Church in Hildesheim led to its closure outside of service hours.
Jesuit Church in Straubing Vandalised
October 10, 2025, GermanyUnknown individuals forcibly entered the Jesuit Church in Straubing, Germany, overturned pews and damaged interior grilles.
Church in Neustadt/Wied Vandalised
October 1, 2025, GermanyUnkown individuals entered the Church of St. Margarita and caused extensive damage inside. The police issued a statement seeking for witnesses.
Church in Germany Vandalised Twice in 24 Hours.
August 30, 2025, GermanyUnidentified vandals flooded the basement and defaced the entrance of Martini Church in Siegen on two consecutive nights, prompting a police investigation.
Vandalism of Catholic Academy and Church ahead of Award to Bishop Barron
July 27, 2025, GermanyIn the days leading up to the Josef‑Pieper Prize ceremony in Münster, vandals sprayed slogans on the Franz‑Hitze‑Haus academy and local church and defaced several Christian statues with red paint. State security has since launched an investigation.
Cross sawn up and corpus placed upside down
July 25, 2025, GermanyVandals sawed down a roughly two-metre-high cross outside a church in Bann, desecrated the figure of Christ, and urinated in the sacristy—prompting shock in the local community and an ongoing police investigation.
Vandalism in Münster church leads to restricted opening hours
July 10, 2025, GermanyAs reported on 10 July, St. Bonifatius Church in Münster will remain closed outside of services due to a series of troubling acts of vandalism. According to the local pastor, Dr Heike Köhler, the building has repeatedly been defiled with faeces and littered with broken beer bottles. There have also been incidents of arson. Most recently, photographs of baptism candidates were deliberately set on fire.
Vandalism in Velen church
July 8, 2025, GermanyRepeated acts of vandalism at St. Andrew's Church in Velen, in the Borken district. The church has been left in a state of disarray, with overturned candles and firecrackers set off next to the high altar. The most recent example: The icon of 'Our Lady of Perpetual Help' was sprayed with wax, and the damage is estimated to be in the mid-three-digit range.
Church in Lingen Suffered Heavy Vandalism
June 18, 2025, GermanyOn the afternoon of Saturday, June 18, 2025, unidentified individuals broke into the Romanesque-Gothic St. Alexander Church in Lingen-Schepsdorf, leaving a trail of destruction. Several religious statues were vandalised—one completely destroyed, others defaced with melted wax—deeply shocking the local community, especially as this is not an isolated incident.
Churches in Zweibrücken Repeatedly Targeted
May 19, 2025, GermanyIn Zweibrücken, both Protestant and Catholic churches have been repeatedly vandalised, prompting concern among church leaders. Dean Peter Butz and Pastor Wolfgang Emanuel have reported ongoing damage to church buildings, including graffiti, smashed windows and cases of desecration.
Church repeatedly vandalised
May 18, 2025, GermanyIn recent weeks, the Catholic Church of St Michael in Ebersbach, has been repeatedly targeted by unknown vandals who have committed acts of arson and desecration. Between 1 and 18 May, intruders started small fires in various locations within the church, including the altar and pews, sometimes using matches and paper. Some of these fires were later extinguished with holy water. The most recent incident, which occurred on Sunday, 18 May, caused several hundred euros' worth of property damage, leaving burnt marks on the carpet near the ambo and signs of tampering throughout the sacred space.
Repeated vandalism in Essen - Muslim youths start campaign to protect church
May 15, 2025, GermanyThe church in Essen-Altendorf is increasingly being plagued by vandalism. The Kreuzeskirche, a historic Protestant church located in the city center, has recently been subjected to vandalism. Unknown perpetrators defaced the church's exterior by spray-painting a skull image on its walls adding to the problem of repeatedly broken windows.
500-year-old altar damaged
April 7, 2025, GermanyOn 7 April, a vandal broke into the historic Abbey Church in Öhringen and seriously damaged the church's 500-year-old wooden high altar. The unknown offender broke off and destroyed the sword from a figure of the Apostle Paul and stole a valuable altar cloth.
Thousands in Damages Every Month
April 4, 2025, GermanyChurches in Cologne's city centre, including the iconic Cologne Cathedral, are regularly targeted by vandals, causing thousands of euros in damage each month. Dr Dominik Meiering, the leading priest for Cologne's inner city, expressed concern about the repeated desecration, theft and graffiti, describing it as a serious burden on the Church and a threat to its public mission.