During the month of January 2026, OIDAC Europe recorded 39 anti-Christian hate crimes targeting Christian places of worship, religious symbols, and, in two cases, a Christian individual.
The recorded incidents comprise 18 cases of vandalism, 5 cases of desecration, 10 arson-related attacks, and 4 thefts specifically targeting religious symbols. In addition, three cases involving violence against Christian individuals or activities were recorded. One concerned a physical assault on a street preacher in the Netherlands; the other involved the prohibition of a Christian march in the United Kingdom due to anticipated hostile reactions. One case involved physical violence, but was primarily recorded as arson.
The highest number of cases from January 2026 was recorded in Italy (10), followed by Germany (8), France (7), Spain (3), Austria (2), Poland (2), the Netherlands (1), Portugal (1), Romania (1), and Serbia (1). Outside the European Union, additional incidents were recorded in the United Kingdom (2) and Ukraine (1).
One notable development in January 2026 was the high number of recorded arson-related attacks on churches, with ten incidents documented during the reporting period. The majority were recorded in Germany (4) and Italy (3), with individual incidents also documented in France, Serbia, and Romania. Four of the arson cases involved the deliberate burning of sacred objects, including liturgical books, nativity scenes, and two altars. In Rome, a church had to be evacuated due to an arson attack.