Over 2,400 anti-Christian hate crimes recorded across Europe in 2023

There were 2,444 anti-Christian hate crimes across 35 European countries last yr, with the UK amongst the best, a recent report has found. 

Most of the incidents were acts of vandalism against churches (62%), followed by the desecration of Christian sites (24%), arson (10%), threats (8%), and physical violence (7%). 

The report by the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe (OIDAC) highlighted a knife attack in Spain during which a priest died, a car-ramming attack on a Corpus Christi procession in Poland, and the attempted murder of a Muslim convert to Christianity within the UK.

The UK had the second highest variety of incidents in 2023 – over 700 – after France, where nearly a thousand were recorded last yr.

The report expresses concern about discrimination against Christians within the workplace and in public life in some European countries and sees this trend as one in every of the explanations for “increasing self-censorship” amongst Christians in Europe.

It quotes the findings of a 2024 study by Voice for Justice UK which found that only a 3rd (36%) of Christians under the age of 35 within the UK be at liberty to precise their Christian views on social issues at work. 

OIDAC said that the UK prosecution of pro-life supporters Adam Smith-Connor and Isabel Vaughan-Spruce for praying silently in an abortion clinic buffer zone was “particularly shocking”. 

Commenting on the findings, Anja Hoffmann, executive director of OIDAC Europe, said, “In particular, Christians who adhere to traditional religious beliefs face increasing discrimination and hostility, starting from bullying at work to the lack of employment.

“It may be very worrying that the peaceful expression of private religious beliefs, for instance on matters referring to marriage and family, has develop into the potential end of a political profession or employment, and even the start of a court case.”

Germany ranked third highest after France and the UK, rising from 135 incidents in 2022 to 277 last yr – a 105% increase. 

The report is predicated on data reported by European governments to the Organization for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE) in 2023, in addition to instances reported by civil society. 

Hoffmann said it was likely that the actual variety of anti-Christian hate crimes was much higher as several countries, including France, didn’t submit statistics to the OSCE last yr. 

Professor Regina Polak, OSCE Representative on Combating Racism, Xenophobia, and Discrimination, said, “Anti-Christian hate crimes send a message of exclusion to the victims and their communities, and to society as a complete.

“We can observe a rise of discrimination and hate crimes against Christians also in Europe.

“These phenomena must even be seen within the broader context of intolerance and discrimination against other groups and particularly against members of spiritual communities, each minority and majority groups.”

The report calls for the creation of an EU coordinator role to combat anti-Christian hatred on a par with existing mandates to combat antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred.

Professor Polak said the rise in discrimination and hate crimes against Christians in Europe must “be taken more seriously by governments and civil society and wishes profound research to grasp its specific nature and causes”.