Rising Anti-Christian Incidents Across Europe Trigger Concerns
Europe witnessed a troubling surge in anti-Christian incidents in May, with arson attacks reaching unprecedented levels. The Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe (OIDAC Europe) documented 37 hate crimes targeting Christian individuals and sites over the month.
May’s figures show a slight decrease from April’s 38 incidents, as reported by OIDAC Europe’s previous report. However, the significant rise in arson attacks, with 13 cases documented, marks the highest monthly tally in 2026.
The reported incidents included fires within churches, attacks on religious symbols, and damage to parish facilities. In the British Isles, authorities in Warrington launched an investigation into multiple fires at a former church. Similar arson-related attacks occurred in Ireland, while Germany recorded incidents in Marbach, Munich, Delmenhorst, and Gladbeck.
In Italy, the Basilica of San Siro in Genoa was marred by anti-clerical graffiti promoting the burning of churches, and an attempted arson in Poland’s Krosno damaged an icon of Our Lady of Perpetual Help.
The report by OIDAC Europe detailed a total of 37 anti-Christian hate crimes in May, comprising 13 arson attacks, 10 acts of vandalism, three desecrations, a disruption to worship, three physical assaults, a case of incitement, three thefts of sacred objects, and three involving both property damage and violence.
Germany saw the highest number of incidents, totaling 10, followed by Italy and France with eight each. Additional incidents were recorded across Poland, Ireland, Austria, Portugal, Spain, Greece, the UK, and Bosnia and Herzegovina.
Some of the more severe cases highlighted by OIDAC included an attack during Mass in Hanau, Germany, where steel and plastic pellets were fired at a church, shattering multiple windows. In Poland, a nun was assaulted at a bus stop, verbally abused, and had the cross she wore torn from her neck.
In Austria, two Catholic fraternity students were severely injured in an attack allegedly carried out by far-left individuals. A priest in Portugal was reportedly detained during a robbery at a church in Cantanhede, and in Greece, a historic church bell tower in Chania suffered damage from a shotgun attack.
OIDAC Europe noted that some incidents indicate ongoing hostility toward Christians and Christian organizations. A Christian-run café in Leipzig, Germany, cited repeated vandalism and harassment linked to far-left extremists as reasons for its recent closure after 26 targeted incidents over two and a half years.
The report also referenced Greek Parliamentary figures showing that from 2015 to 2024, 4,409 incidents affected Orthodox Church properties, constituting over 96% of all religious site incidents nationwide.
OIDAC cautioned that the documented figures might represent only a fraction of the anti-Christian hostility across Europe, as many incidents involving damage to Christian property lacked a clearly defined anti-Christian motive, such as thefts, break-ins, and fires still under investigation.
The report underscores ongoing debates over the recognition of anti-Christian incidents by European bodies. The European Centre for Law and Justice previously criticized a Parliamentary Assembly of the Council of Europe resolution for not explicitly addressing anti-Christian hostility, despite acknowledging antisemitism and Islamophobia concerns.
This article was originally written by www.christiantoday.com
