May Sees Surge in Anti-Christian Attacks Across Europe
In an alarming trend, Europe experienced a significant increase in anti-Christian incidents in May, highlighted by a spike in arson attacks. The Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe (OIDAC Europe) reported a total of 37 hate crimes targeting Christian sites and individuals.
These figures follow April’s report from OIDAC Europe, which detailed 38 such incidents. Despite the reduction in total incidents, May saw an unprecedented number of arson attacks, marking the highest monthly total of the year.
During May, OIDAC documented 13 arson cases throughout Europe, ranging from fires within church buildings to attacks on religious artifacts and facilities. In particular, the British Isles saw police investigations in Warrington due to multiple fires at a former church. An arson attack was also reported in Ireland, while Germany and Italy each faced four incidents, and France recorded three.
In Germany, arson attacks were identified in Marbach, Munich, Delmenhorst, and Gladbeck. Italy’s Basilica of San Siro in Genoa was defaced with anti-clerical graffiti, including messages urging the burning of churches. In Poland, an attempted arson at a chapel in Krosno resulted in damage to an icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
The 37 hate crimes documented in May comprised 13 arson attacks, 10 acts of vandalism, three desecrations, one disruption to worship, three physical assaults, one incitement case, three thefts of sacred objects, and three incidents involving both property damage and violence. Germany led with 10 incidents, followed by eight each in Italy and France.
Other countries, including Poland, Ireland, Austria, Portugal, Spain, Greece, the UK, and Bosnia and Herzegovina, also reported incidents. In Hanau, Germany, attackers fired steel and plastic pellets at the Holy Spirit Church during a Mass attended by roughly 200 people, breaking several windows.
Additional serious incidents included the assault of a nun at a Polish bus stop, the severe injury of two Catholic fraternity students in Innsbruck, Austria, and a robbery in Portugal where a priest was held against his will. In Greece, a historic church bell tower in Chania was damaged by a shotgun attack.
Beyond physical attacks, OIDAC Europe noted ongoing hostility towards Christians and their organizations. A Christian-run café in Leipzig, Germany, closed after being targeted in 26 separate incidents over two-and-a-half years, attributed to far-left extremist circles.
The report also mentioned figures shown to the Greek Parliament, indicating that 4,409 incidents affected Orthodox Church properties in Greece from 2015 to 2024, comprising over 96% of religious site incidents in the country. While OIDAC documented numerous hate crimes, they also noted many other incidents of property damage without clear anti-Christian motives, such as thefts, break-ins, and fires.
OIDAC Europe emphasized that the official figures likely only partially reflect the true extent of anti-Christian hostility across Europe. The report coincides with discussions about the recognition of anti-Christian incidents by European institutions.
Earlier this year, the European Centre for Law and Justice criticized a resolution by the Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe on religious discrimination for not specifically addressing anti-Christian hostility, despite acknowledging antisemitism and Islamophobia concerns.
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
