Strasbourg, December 23, 2025
Photo: eclj.org
A Christian legal advocacy organization has documented a sharp rise in anti-Christian incidents across Europe in its newly released 2025 report.
The European Centre for Law and Justice, based in Strasbourg and accredited with both the European Parliament and United Nations, found that 2,211 anti-Christian hate incidents occurred across 35 European countries in 2024, including 274 acts of physical violence, reports the Ukrainian Orthodox Church with reference to the report.
Vandalism accounted for half of all reported incidents, followed by arson at 15% and desecration of sacred sites at 13%. France, the United Kingdom, Germany, Spain and Poland recorded the highest numbers of anti-Christian acts.
The report attributes the trend to several factors, including increased secularization that has pushed Christianity out of public life. The organization notes that crosses are being removed from government buildings, nativity displays banned from city halls, and religious processions restricted in various countries.
According to the report, three main groups are responsible for anti-Christian actions: radicalized Muslims, militant secularist organizations, and far-left activists. The ECLJ argues that the actual scale of the problem is significantly larger than reported figures suggest.
The organization contends that Christians receive less protection than other religious groups in Europe and face increasing penalties for expressing their beliefs. They propose several remedies, including appointing a European coordinator to address the issue, establishing clear definitions of anti-Christian hatred, and strengthening protections for houses of worship.
The report warns that freedom of religion is being taken for granted and requires stronger safeguards, particularly for Christians who are often overlooked in anti-discrimination policies.
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