A recent report reveals that anti-Christian hate crimes in Europe surged to a total of 2,444 incidents in 2023.
The report, titled “Intolerance and Discrimination Against Christians in Europe Report 2024,” was published by OIDAC Europe, a watchdog organization. This data was compiled from police and civil society sources across 35 European countries and includes 232 personal attacks on Christians, encompassing harassment, threats, and physical violence.
The findings indicate that at least 1,230 of these anti-Christian hate crimes were allegedly perpetrated by ten European governments in 2023, marking a significant rise from 1,029 incidents reported in 2022. Notable countries where these incidents occurred include France, Germany, and the United Kingdom, which reported some of the highest recorded offenses.
France experienced a particularly alarming number of hate crimes, with nearly 1,000 incidents recorded in 2023. Approximately 90 percent of these attacks targeted churches and cemeteries.
French authorities also documented 84 personal attacks on individuals, including a distressing incident involving two nuns in Nantes who left the city in March 2023, stating they endured “beatings, spitting, and insults.” Additionally, in January of the same year, arsonists attacked four churches in Paris with Molotov cocktails, highlighting a troubling trend of escalating violence against places of worship.
In the United Kingdom, there were 702 reported cases of anti-Christian hate crimes in England and Wales between April 2023 and March 2024, which is a 15% increase compared to the previous year.
Germany also saw a dramatic rise, with incidents increasing by 105%, from 135 in 2022 to 277 in 2023. However, it should be noted that the German government's official statistics only account for politically motivated hate crimes and exclude acts of vandalism or arson without political motives. OIDAC Europe estimated that there were at least 2,000 instances of damage to Christian places of worship in Germany during 2023, signaling a disturbing pattern of violence against religious institutions.
The report provides insight into the nature of the attacks, documenting that most incidents targeted places of worship. OIDAC identified a total of 232 incidents involving verbal and physical attacks on Christians, with vandalism constituting 62% of these offenses. Arson attacks accounted for 10%, while threats and physical violence made up 8% and 7%, respectively. Among the documented cases, there were reports of one murder, seven attempted murders, and 68 personal attacks motivated by anti-Christian bias.
Determining the motives and backgrounds of the perpetrators has proven challenging, as police authorities often do not disclose this information. However, Germany reported some specifics, noting 92 politically motivated attacks on churches with identifiable motives. These included actions attributed to “political right” (31 incidents), “religious ideologies” (16 incidents), and “political left” (14 incidents). The report also highlighted a concerning increase in incidents with identifiable radical Islamist backgrounds, which nearly doubled from 11 to 21 in comparison to 2022.
Furthermore, the report outlined various restrictions on religious freedom impacting Christians in Europe. These restrictions include fines and prosecutions against individuals engaging in public prayer, as illustrated by a case in the UK where a man was convicted for silently praying near an abortion clinic within a designated “buffer zone.”
The report also noted discrimination against Christians in public life and the workplace, particularly affecting Christian politicians who sometimes face pressure to choose between their faith and their political careers. This discrimination and other forms of societal pressure have contributed to a rising trend of self-censorship among Christians, especially younger individuals, who often conceal their beliefs to avoid confrontation or harassment.
