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Images of horror: Vandalism devastates church in Vienna favorites!
Vandalism at the parish church of St. Johann in Vienna-Favoriten: symbols of faith desecrated, investigations underway, political reactions.
Images of horror: Vandalism devastates church in Vienna favorites!
In Vienna, vandalism against Christian institutions is increasing alarmingly. The *Parish Church of St. Johann Evangelist* in Favoriten, also known as the Kepler Church, was recently defaced by unknown people. Shocking graffiti, some with Arabic and Syrian characters, decorated the walls of the church. The police have already filed a complaint about serious damage to property, but so far there is no information about possible suspects. These targeted attacks not only highlight religious extremism, but also the sense of security among citizens in the city. Today reports about this.
The incident is by no means an isolated incident. A series of acts of vandalism occurred in Vienna as early as September 2025. The Paulanerkirche in Wieden was daubed with red paint on the night of September 23rd to 24th. The church of the “To the Divine Word” parish in Favoriten also had to be closed due to massive vandalism. The worrying pattern is clear: churches and memorials are repeatedly attacked, which violates not only the values of the Christian community, but also the democratic pillars of our society. Suha Dejmek, a member of the reporting center christenschutz.at, also commented on this and warned that the acts were fueling mistrust and fear among believers. Further insights are provided in vol.at.
Reactions to the vandalism
The incidents are causing political tempers to boil. ÖVP General Secretary Nico Marchetti has clearly condemned the latest incident and speaks of a “persecution of Christianity” while pointing out the need for respect for social values and the rule of law. The FPÖ also sees this incident as an example of the security failure in the 10th district and criticizes Interior Minister Gerhard Karner for insufficient police presence.
Citizens' reaction to this damage is877 extremely worrying. Jan Ledóchowski, chairman of the Anti-Christian Reporting Office, called on the authorities and the population to take serious action against these attacks. “The attacks on our churches are attacks on our values,” he emphasized urgently.
A worrying development
Observations in recent years show a worrying increase in vandalism and hate crimes against Christian institutions in Austria. According to a report by OIDAC Europe, a total of 150 anti-Christian hate crimes were reported in 2023, including 78 damage to churches. Compared to Germany, where more than 2,000 such incidents were recorded, Austria's statistics are particularly significant because our recording methods are inadequate. This highlights a structural problem in society and the way it deals with religious freedom.
In view of these alarming trends, the *christenschutz.at* reporting center helps to provide information and raise public awareness of this issue. Given the repeated attacks on shrines, it is clear that social cohesion and understanding of different faiths need to be strengthened. The pressure on politics and society to take action here is greater than ever.
The developments surrounding these incidents are a clear call to take a closer look and stand up together for the values that determine our society. As they say, “there’s something going on” – for each and every one of us.