The Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe has published a report indicating a sharp increase in the number of attacks on Christians and vandalism of churches across the continent.

The report records 2,211 hate crimes against Christians in 2024, including 94 arson attacks on churches – almost twice as many as a year earlier. At the same time, a third of all arson attacks occurred in Germany, which puts the country in the lead in this indicator. The largest number of anti-Christian incidents were also registered in France, Great Britain, Spain and Austria.

The document describes the most serious episodes, including the murder of a 76-year-old monk in Spain and the destruction of the historic Church of the Immaculate Conception in Saint-Omer, France, after an arson attack in September 2024. In addition to attacks on churches, 274 attacks on Christians, including threats and physical violence, were recorded last year.

The authors of the report emphasize that official statistics underestimate the scale of the problem: surveys in Poland and Spain show that almost half of priests have experienced aggression, but most do not contact the police.

The organization also notes an increase in legal and social pressure on Christians, from persecution for praying in "buffer zones" at abortion centers in the UK to trials on charges of "inciting hatred" for quoting the Bible.

The report calls on the European Union to strengthen the protection of religious freedom, as well as appoint a separate coordinator to combat anti-Christian hatred and ensure the systematic collection of data on attacks on Christians in European countries.

According to the materials spzh.eu