Anti-Christian Incidents April 2026
During the month of April 2026, the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe (OIDAC Europe) recorded 38 anti-Christian hate crimes targeting Christian places of worship, religious symbols, religious spaces, and Christian individuals.
The recorded hate crimes comprise 15 cases of vandalism, 5 cases of desecration, 5 arson-related attacks, 2 thefts specifically targeting religious objects, 5 cases of physical violence, 2 cases involving vandalism combined with violence, 2 incidents classified as incitement, 1 case involving threats, and 1 disruption of worship. Particularly serious incidents included arson attacks on a church in Castrezzato, Italy, and a church in Arnsberg, Germany, amid a growing vandalism at the same church, the destruction of a chapel in Vechta, Germany, through suspected arson, the explosion targeting a Christian pro-Israel centre in Nijkerk, the Netherlands, and several violent attacks against Christians and clergy in Ireland, France, and Spain. Recorded incidents included the assault of a priest during Mass in Ireland, an attack on a Christian woman in Spain after the perpetrator identified her religion, an axe attack in Spain accompanied by anti-Christian statements, and a violent intrusion into a church in France during Easter celebrations.
Several incidents also involved direct attacks on central Christian symbols and sacred objects, including decapitated statues, damaged crucifixes, anti-Christian and satanic graffiti, attacks on cemeteries and grave crosses, and repeated vandalism against churches. Incidents during Easter celebrations and Holy Week included the disruption of Easter liturgies, vandalism on Holy Thursday, and attacks timed around Easter weekend.
The highest number of incidents in April 2026 was recorded in France (10), followed by Germany (7) and Italy (7). Further cases were recorded in Spain (5), Poland (2), Croatia (1), Ireland (1), and the Netherlands (1). Outside the European Union, incidents were additionally recorded in Ukraine (2), the UK (1) and Switzerland (1).