All cases

Filtered by: Country: Austria Timeframe: 06/01/2016 to 05/14/2018

Graffiti Threat on Vorarlberg Wall

April 19, 2018, Austria

During the 18th or 19th of April, unknown perpetrators vandalized a stone retaining wall in Rankweil with pink paint. Over ten meters, they sprayed the words "Deth (sic) to all Christians!" as well as a pentagram symbol. The retaining wall on Thomas-Lehrer-Weges leads to the Basilica of Rankweil, the pilgrimage church of Our Lady of the Visitation.

"Allahu Akbar" Graffiti on Church

October 8, 2017, Austria

Over the weekend in Ybbs (district of Melk) graffiti with messages such as "Allahu Akbar" ("God is great"), "Bomb the Kids," and "Bomb the Church" was found in various areas of the town, including on a church. Police began an investigation and offered a reward for information.

Offertory Box Stolen from St. Stephan's Cathedral

September 30, 2017, Austria

In the early morning hours of September 30th, an unknown burglar entered the door to the northern tower into the cathedral in Vienna. After stealing a donation box, the individual fled. The cathedral is secured by an alarm system with a direct connection to the police station, which was triggered at 5:15 am. Seven police cars and several police dogs arrived to investigate, but were unsuccessful in locating the perpetrator.

Styria: Arson in Church

September 11, 2017, Austria

Several confessional doors in the Church of the Holy Family in Kapfenberg (Diocese of Graz-Seckau) were set on fire. Because the fire was quickly discovered by church visitors, a greater degree of damage was avoided. The property damage includes the confessionals, a song book stand, and charred song books. Police were called to investigate.

Three Roadside Crucifixes Heavily Damaged in Styria

September 4, 2017, Austria

According to police in St. Stefan im Rosental, three roadside Jesus figures were forcibly removed from crosses, demolished, and stolen. Only parts of the figures remained on the crosses. All three cases were reported between August 31st and September 5th, 2017. In total, a loss of several hundred euros was incurred. Police investigated.

Wayside Crucifix Demolished in Southern Styria

September 2, 2017, Austria

The figure of a crucified Jesus Christ was destroyed, left hanging without arms or legs, on a wayside cross on a hiking trail in the district of Harla. The vandalism was discovered during the weekend of September 2, 2017. The priest of the parish of St. Johann im Saggautal expressed the community's shock, noting that offertory boxes had been broken in the past, but this extent of violence against a crucifix is "shockingly new." A complaint was filed by the diocese.

Devastating Vandalism in Wieselburg Parish Church

August 28, 2017, Austria

Unknown perpetrators broke into the church, forced open the sacristy door. They caused enormous material damage, including cutting all electrical cables, destroying armchair upholstery, tearing the tabernacle from the altar, destroying the Easter candle, and stealing a few hundred euros in cash. In addition, the vandals poured sand on the church floor and made the sign of a pentagram, according to the police.

Burglary in Schwadorf Parish

August 23, 2017, Austria

During the night of August 23, 2017, burglars broke into the parish church in Schwadorf through a terrace door. After being unable to break into the office, they entered the priest's apartment. According to police, cash and valuables were stolen, including a jewelry box and a clock. Afterwards, the perpetrators sprayed a fire extinguisher on the floor in the entrance of the apartment, in the stairwell of the parish center, and on the ground floor, to obliterate their footprints. The church was equipped with an alarm system, but the priest was not at home at the time of the incident, so no one heard the alarm. A passerby discovered the break-in in the morning and reported it to the police.

Break-in and Vandalism at Erlauf Church

August 21, 2017, Austria

Unknown perpetrators broke into the church in Erlauf sometime during the night of August 20-21, 2017. All the money in the church had been removed on the Sunday after the Mass, but the sacristy was ransacked, with boxes emptied and overturned. It is unclear whether anything was stolen. This was the fourth break-in at the church.

Wooden Christ Statue Decapitated on Mountaintop

August 7, 2017, Austria

A hand-carved figure of Jesus Christ on a cross was placed at 789 meters on the north side of the Traunstein mountain in Gmunden, Austria by members of the alpine club as a gift to a member. They discovered the statue had been decapitated with a saw when they arrived to present the gift on August 7, 2017. Police are investigating.