Brutal vandalism: Vienna suffers from attacks on churches!

Brutal vandalism: Vienna suffers from attacks on churches!

In Vienna, recent headlines about brutal acts of vandalism in two important churches have raised eyebrows. The reporting center “Christenschutz.at” reports on violent incidents in the Karlskirche and the Antonskirche. In recent weeks, both places of worship have been defaced and damaged several times, which has reignited the discussion about the protection of religious sites.

The Karlskirche in particular was targeted on May 15 when unknown persons sprayed pro-Palestinian slogans on the facade. But that wasn't the only incident. At the beginning of June, the walls of the Antonskirche also suffered significant damage when numerous offensive lettering defaced the exterior. Things were particularly violent on June 8th, when the interior of the church was devastated: memorial crosses were torn from the wall and several intercession books were stolen from the St. Anthony's altar. In addition, the facade of the Antonskirche was daubed with the blatant slogan “Islam will win”. 

Tough times for religious sites

The recent incidents are part of a worrying development. Vienna is increasingly seeing anti-Christian acts from various radical camps. The slogan “Hell to those who believe in it” posted on June 12th, which is directed against the “March for Life,” illustrates how far the attacks have now gone. According to Jan Ledóchowski from the reporting office, this is a “threatening pincer movement against Christianity.” The surveillance camera documented the last incident at Karlskirche and could help identify the perpetrators.

In a similar matter, Suha Dejmek, board member of Christenschutz.at, expressed the urgent need for concrete protective measures from the city of Vienna for churches and other religious institutions. She called for a zero-tolerance policy towards anti-Christian vandalism as the numbers are alarming.

An overarching problem

But it is not only in Vienna that such attacks are faced. According to reports from katholisch.de, the number of acts of vandalism against churches in Germany has also risen sharply. Statistics show that over 2,000 cases of property damage in or to churches were documented in Germany in 2023. The observatory OIDAC Europe calls for better recording of these crimes, as many anti-Christian attacks are not adequately recorded.

In Austria, 150 anti-Christian hate crimes were reported, including 78 damage to churches. This raises the question of how one can protect oneself more effectively in the face of this development. The urgency of the discussion about the protection of religious sites is obvious - not only in Vienna, but also beyond the country's borders.

For the preservation and dignity of the churches, it is now important that the demands for visible and stable measures are heard. The incidents in the Viennese churches are not just pure damage to property; they touch the heart of faith communities and the cultural identity of our society.

Find out about the latest developments and demands on the website MyDistrict, OTS and katholisch.de.