Thousands of anti-Christian hate crimes in Europe

A report by the Vienna-based Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination Against Christians in Europe (OIDAC Europe) noted 94 arson attacks on churches and other Christian sites in 2024. One-third of the arsons occurred in Germany.

France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain and Austria recorded the highest number of anti-Christian incidents overall. While most attacks were directed at places of worship, OIDAC Europe recorded 274 personal attacks against Christians in 2024, including assaults and threats.

Among the report’s findings are several severe cases, including the killing of a 76-year-old monk in Spain last year.

OIDAC Europe executive director Anja Tang emphasised that the figures represent “very concrete acts of church vandalism, arson and physical assaults that deeply affect local communities”, warning that official statistics still underestimate the scale of the problem.

New surveys from Poland and Spain reveal that nearly half of priests in these nations have encountered aggression. However, the vast majority never report  such incidents to the police.

“If half of Catholic clergy experience aggression in a Catholic-majority country, hostility towards Christians can no longer be treated as a marginal issue,” Ms Tang said.

Beyond physical attacks, the report also documents the growing legal and social pressure on Christians across Europe between 2024 and 2025.

OIDAC Europe called for stronger, more coordinated European Union action against anti-Christian hate. This includes appointing a European Union coordinator to combat anti-Christian hatred, similar to existing mandates on antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred.

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Anti-Christian hate crimes surge across Europe with arson attacks nearly doubling in 2024 – OIDAC report (By Alexander Folz/Catholic News Agency)