2444 anti-Christians crimes recorded in Europe over the past year

Persecution of Christians. Photo: focus.ua

In 2023, 2,444 hate crimes against Christians were recorded in 35 European countries, with the highest number of incidents reported in the United Kingdom, according to christiantoday.com.

Research by the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination Against Christians in Europe (OIDAC) shows that the majority of cases (62%) involved vandalism against churches, followed by desecration of Christian sites (24%), arson (10%), threats (8%), and physical violence (7%).

The report also highlights growing concerns about discrimination against Christians in workplaces and public life. According to a 2024 study by Voice for Justice UK, only 36% of Christians in the UK under the age of 35 feel free to express their Christian views on social issues at work.

OIDAC also drew attention to the persecution of pro-life advocates Adam Smith-Connor and Isabel Vaughan-Spruce for silently praying in the buffer zone of an abortion clinic, calling it "particularly shocking."

Commenting on the findings, OIDAC Europe's Executive Director, Anja Hoffmann, stated: "In particular, Christians who adhere to traditional religious beliefs face increasing discrimination and hostility, ranging from bullying at work to the loss of employment." She emphasized that expressing religious views on marriage and family "has become the potential end of a political career or employment, or even the beginning of a court case."

As previously reported by the UOJ, the U.S. human rights organization Human Rights Watch criticized Law 3894.

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