Study Shows Christians In Europe Are Facing More Hate Crimes and Discrimination

The Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination Against Christians in Europe (OIDAC) has published a detailed annual report revealing a significant rise in anti-Christian hate crimes across 35 European countries in 2023, with 2,444 incidents recorded compared to 748 the previous year. France leads with nearly 1,000 incidents, predominantly vandalism against churches, alongside 84 personal attacks. The United Kingdom reported over 700 incidents, highlighting not only physical attacks but also social and workplace discrimination. Germany saw a 105% surge in hate crimes, with over 2,000 cases of property damage to Christian sites. Spain and Poland had notable incidents, including a fatal knife attack on a priest in Spain and a car-ramming during a religious procession in Poland. The report categorizes the crimes into vandalism, desecration, arson, and personal assaults, with 62% being vandalism against churches. Christians also face legal and social discrimination for expressing traditional views, leading to a “chilling effect” on faith practice. The broader context shows high levels of hate crimes against Jewish and Muslim communities as well, with OIDAC suggesting the establishment of an EU Coordinator for anti-Christian hatred. Despite these findings, there’s a challenge in gaining public and political recognition for anti-Christian discrimination compared to other religious groups, prompting calls for better religious literacy, data collection, and policy interventions to ensure the protection of religious freedom for all in Europe.

https://www.christianitytoday.com/2025/01/christian-discrimination-in-europe-hate-crimes-oidac-report/