Europe records a sharp rise in crimes against Christians in April 2026

The human rights organization OIDAC Europe presented a report according to which 38 hate crimes against believers, their shrines and symbols were documented in European countries during April 2026. According to the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe, there was a surge of aggression during this period, especially intensified during Holy Week and Easter.

According to the statistics of human rights activists, 15 incidents were classified as vandalism, 5 as desecration of shrines and another 5 as deliberate arson. Among the most high-profile cases stand out arson attacks on churches in Castrezzato, Italy, and Arnsberg, Germany, as well as an explosion at a Christian center in Nijkerk, Netherlands. The geographic leader in the number of attacks was France (10 cases), followed by Germany and Italy (7 cases in each country). Incidents were also recorded in Ukraine, in particular, the desecration of a statue of the Virgin Mary in the village of Zhovkva, Lviv region.

Experts are particularly alarmed by the increase in physical violence. In Spain, an attack on a Christian woman with an axe was recorded under anti-Christian slogans, and in Ireland an attacker beat a priest right during mass. Human rights activists note that official statistics reflect only a small part of the real picture, as many thefts and “suspicious fires” in churches are not classified by police as hate crimes due to the lack of clear evidence.

In addition to physical aggression, the report points to systemic legal pressure on believers. In the UK, pastor Clive Johnston was convicted for holding an open-air service, and a congregation in Essex was restrained by a court injunction from preaching about the existence of hell, deeming it “disturbing”. Additionally, a high-profile case is mentioned in White Church, where a man was assaulted for saying the Easter greeting “Christ is Risen!”.