Vandalism in the prayer garden: Floridsdorf residents demand protection for places of faith!

Vandalism in the prayer garden: Floridsdorf residents demand protection for places of faith!

There were massive incidents of vandalism in the Floridsdorf prayer garden, which is regularly used for worship and religious festivals, on Saturday night. How express Reportedly, various prayer figures and crucifixes around were badly damaged. The attack is the second of its kind in recent years and casts a dark light on the treatment of religious sites in the region.

The destruction is shocking: a statue of Jesus was defaced by having its head chopped off and its mouth and nose severed. In the case of a statue of the Virgin Mary, only rubble remained, as the head and upper body were also chopped off. The police immediately began investigations into serious damage to property against unknown perpetrators mydistrict reported.

Political reactions to the vandalism

The political landscape in Floridsdorf reacts with horror to the attacks. District councilor Alexander Jansa from the ÖVP sees these acts of violence as a sign of deep hatred towards religious places. His party colleague, club leader Victoria Mayer, announced that she would take up the incident in political discourse. The FPÖ also calls for a rapid investigation into the perpetrators. Wolfgang Irschik, the district party chairman, spoke of a religiously motivated act and insisted on the need for consequences.

The Greens stated unequivocally that vandalism is never excusable, while Neos leader Judith Lederer expressed the hope that the incidents would be quickly resolved. Astrid Pany, the deputy district leader of the SPÖ, also condemned what happened and called for the perpetrators to be held accountable.

Background on religious intolerance

The incidents in Floridsdorf reflect a worrying development that can be observed throughout Europe, according to a comprehensive study by the Observatory On Intolerance And Discrimination Against Christians In Europe (OIDAC). The report documents that Christians are increasingly facing discrimination and persecution. Director Madeleine Enzlberger emphasizes that this is not only a sign of unmodernity, but also a serious problem in terms of personal freedoms. Protests against the Christian faith, like the one in Floridsdorf, are not isolated cases.

The study also shows that from 2019 to 2020, anti-Christian hate crimes increased by 70 percent, with vandalism of churches and other Christian institutions accounting for a large proportion. In Germany, for example, 255 cases were documented. These alarming figures pose a challenge for those responsible, but unfortunately the number of unreported cases remains high. Regina Polak, OSCE Special Representative, has repeatedly stressed the need for greater transparency and public discussions about these crimes against Christians.

The incident in the prayer garden is a dramatic call for attention to the respectful handling of religious symbols and a sign that there is an urgent need to address intolerance in our cities too.