In Belgium, presenters of state radio station Studio Brussel smashed a statue of Jesus and the Virgin Mary live on air

A public scandal erupted in Belgium after presenters of the state radio station Studio Brussel defiantly smashed a statue of Jesus Christ and the Virgin Mary live on air, presenting it as a humorous sketch. The incident sparked a wave of criticism and discussion of the double-standard policy toward religious symbols in European media.

The incident occurred on March 24, 2026, during the entertainment segment of the program , Tribune Magazine reported. The presenters destroyed various objects in the studio, among which were Christian shrines. The public was particularly outraged that the episode was broadcast on a public radio station funded by the state.

In response to the criticism, the hosts tried to justify their actions by the low religiosity of Belgian society. At the same time, they openly admitted that they would not perform such actions against symbols of other faiths for fear of the possible consequences and the risk of negative reactions. The participants of the broadcast, who call themselves Catholics, characterized what happened as a form of «self-criticism,» but experts see it as a dangerous blurring of the boundaries between freedom of speech and open disrespect for the feelings of believers.

The incident provoked a broad discussion on the Internet about the protection of religious values. Social media users point out that the desecration of Christian symbols in the public space is increasingly perceived as acceptable behavior that does not meet with proper condemnation, while other religions remain taboo topics for this kind of «humor».

We will remind, earlier we reported that in Syria the brutal persecution of the Christian population continues, culminating in the recent desecration of the Orthodox shrine — the «Cave of the Virgin Mary» in the village of Al-Basiya, located near the coastal town of Baniyas. Militants allegedly affiliated with Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) beheaded statues of Christ and the Virgin Mary placed above the entrance to the cave.