Hate crimes against Christians in Europe grew alarmingly in 2024

Hate crimes against Christians recorded a marked increase in Europe, especially in traditionally Catholic countries such as Spain and Poland, in 2024. The countries with the highest number of incidents were Spain, France, the United Kingdom, Germany and Austria. In addition to individual assaults and attacks on churches and religious buildings, Christians have also been facing greater complications in professing their faith because of new legislation by governments.

According to a report by the Vienna-based Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe (OIDAC Europe), a total of 2,211 hate crimes against Christians were recorded in 2024.

This figure includes a significant increase in assaults, including the murder of a monk, which amounted to 274 incidents, as well as a sharp rise in arson attacks targeting churches and other Christian spaces.

"Widespread underreporting"

Spain was one of the countries most affected by violent attacks, including the murder of a Catholic monk. Although the Spanish government does not collect specific data or statistics on anti-Christian hate crimes, the Observatory for Religious Freedom and Freedom of Conscience documented a sharp increase in violent attacks against Christians and a 12% increase in acts of vandalism against churches and religious symbols over the previous year.

Another traditionally Catholic country, Poland, showed another side of the problem: "widespread underreporting," notes Anja Tang (née Hoffmann), executive director of OIDAC Europe. In the case of Poland, a survey by the ISKK Institute revealed that about half of the priests suffered some kind of assault in the past year, but more than 80% did not report it.

"If half of the Catholic clergy experience assaults in a largely Catholic country, hostility toward Christians can no longer be treated as a marginal problem," Tang stressed.

"A pattern of growing intolerance in which Christians are among the most affected"

In 2024, European governments and civil organizations reported more than 3,000 anti-Semitic, 1,000 anti-Christian and 950 anti-Muslim crimes to the Office for Democratic Institutions and Human Rights (ODIHR), although several states did not send any information. OIDAC Europe warned that these figures "reflect a pattern of growing intolerance in which Christians are among the most affected religious groups."

"Behind each figure are concrete attacks: vandalism, arson and physical assaults that deeply affect local communities," Tang noted.

In addition, "OIDAC Europe documented 516 anti-Christian hate crimes independently; when including burglaries and break-ins at places of religious worship, the figure rises to 1,503 incidents. Particularly noteworthy is the recording of 94 arson attacks, almost twice as many as in 2023. A third (33) occurred in Germany, where the Bishops' Conference recently warned that 'all taboos' have been broken when it comes to vandalism against churches."

Legislative persecution against Christians

In addition to hate crimes, OIDAC Europe documented numerous social and juridical-legal restrictions affecting Christians in 2024 and 2025. Several people were prosecuted under "buffer zone" laws for conducting silent prayer near abortion clinics.

"More and more Christians in Europe are facing prosecution for peacefully expressing their beliefs or traditional Christian teachings on moral issues," Tang said. "While the courts sometimes end up protecting their rights, they do so after lengthy and costly processes that are themselves a form of punishment."

Of particular note is the case of British veteran Adam Smith-Connor, who was convicted of standing in silent prayer with his head slightly bowed less than 100 yards from a clinic.

In October 2025, the Supreme Court of Finland heard the case of M.P. Päivi Räsänen, who was charged with "hate speech" after posting a Bible verse in 2019 questioning her church's support for Helsinki Pride.

In February 2025, the U.K. Court of Appeal ruled in favor of Kristie Higgs, a Christian teacher dismissed after expressing concerns about sexual education content. The court confirmed that traditional Christian beliefs about marriage and sexuality are protected by law. Several similar cases are still pending in Europe.

"A stronger and more coordinated response from the European Union"

In the face of persistently high numbers of anti-Christian hate crimes, "OIDAC Europe calls for a stronger and more coordinated response from the European Union." The NGO supports "the creation of a European Coordinator for Combating Hate against Christians, equivalent to the existing ones for antisemitism and anti-Muslim hatred, an initiative also shared by the European Parliament's Intergroup for Freedom of Religion, Belief and Conscience."

Furthermore, OIDAC Europe urges European governments to implement the recommendations of the OSCE's recently published guide, "Understanding Anti-Christian Hate Crimes and Addressing the Security Needs of Christian Communities." In particular, the organization urges the systematic collection of data on anti-Christian hate crimes, which is still insufficient in many countries.