Vandalism-Schock: St. Anton Church again defaced with graffiti!

Vandalism-Schock: St. Anton Church again defaced with graffiti!

In the last few days there is more and more inconvenience at Antonsplatz in Vienna: the Church of St. Anton was again smeared with lettering. The outer wall of the brick church now presents several smeared areas under which religious messages can be found. This has not only called on the schedule, but the neighborhood is also increasingly concerned with these incidents. In a statement, the religious community condemned the vandalism acts as non -portable and disrespectful to the believers. MeinDZIRDED Exchange has invited to develop solutions together.

The fact that the incidents are in the context of a longer series of tensions and provocations at Antonsplatz are particularly noteworthy. Albert Noss, a member of the community leadership, is critical of the behavior of young people in the area. This criticism is supported by the police, which records a low single -digit number of advertisements for property damage caused by graffiti. Investigations are currently underway against the unknown perpetrators, while the patrol activity in the neighborhood has been reinforced. District head Franz condemns graffiti as a pietary and thus makes it clear that awareness of the respectful handling of sacred places is necessary.

Current situation in other communities

The problem of vandalism in churches is not only limited to Vienna. Similar incidents also piling up in other parts of Austria and beyond. As daily news there is an increase in disrespect in Rhineland-Palatinate Places. Here not only doors are torn out and altars are damaged, but church spaces are also misused as toilets. Often the perpetrator remains unknown, since churches are open during the day, but rarely supervised.

The responsibilities face the challenge of keeping the churches accessible and at the same time ensuring security. In some churches, the first measures, such as the increased use of volunteers and video surveillance, bring positive results, but the general problem remains.

A look across the border

Another look at comparable incidents shows that in other regions, as in the Catholic Church of St. Elisabeth in Tailfingen, vandalism has become everyday life. Unknowns left insulting lettering and symbols, which makes it clear that respect for sacred places in our society disappear. There the church carer was able to remove some damage himself, but a restorer was commissioned for the professional cleaning of the bronze doors, which is not always easy to manage for budget reasons. Black Forest Bote shows how important the preservation of cultural values ​​in churches, which are very important to many people.

In Vienna, a round table is now being sought to bring the various actors together - from the police to social workers to the religious community. Together, the challenges that arise from increasing vandalism should be considered. The hope is that dialogue and collaboration can be promoted more respectfully with the holy sites in Vienna.