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Thread: Nearly a dozen Catholic Churches have been targeted with alleged arson, vandalism, and other attacks in recent weeks. Some cases are under investigation, others have charges pressed. These are the incidents that have been reported on:
In June, a man was arrested after he spray-painted swastikas and anti-Catholic language on gravestones at a Catholic college in Rhode Island https://dailycaller.com/2020/06/23/keveon-gomera-arrested-vandalism-providence-college-catholic-cemetery-swastika-anti-catholic/
A Catholic Church in New Haven, CT reported that a person/group of people had painted “anarchist and satanic symbols” on the doors of their church in July: @MaryMargOlohan https://dailycaller.com/2020/07/16/connecticut-catholic-church-vandalized-satanic-symbols
A statue of Jesus Christ was vandalized outside a Catholic Church in Miami in July, an incident church leaders said they expect to be investigated as a hate crime: https://dailycaller.com/2020/07/16/jesus-statue-beheaded-miami-good-shepherd-catholic-church-hate-crime/
A Virgin Mary statue was beheaded in Chattanooga, TN at St. Stephen Catholic Church in July: https://dailycaller.com/2020/07/15/chuck-fleischmann-catholic-church-virgin-mary-vandalism-tennessee-attack/
San Gabriel Mission, a nearly 250-year-old Catholic mission, was heavily damaged by fire after a blaze destroyed the rooftop and most of its interior July 11. The cause of the fire is under investigation, with no answers yet: https://dailycaller.com/2020/07/13/catholic-church-target-fire-statues-virgin-mary/
Steven Shields was arrested July 11 after allegedly crashing his vehicle into the front doors of Queen of Peace Catholic Sanctuary in Florida, pouring gasoline in the foyer area and setting it aflame while parishioners were inside preparing for mass: https://dailycaller.com/2020/07/13/catholic-church-target-fire-statues-virgin-mary/
A Missouri man was charged with assault after he allegedly attacked two people who say they were praying the rosary alongside a rally that was protesting a statue of St. Louis: https://dailycaller.com/2020/07/14/terrence-page-arrested-st-louis-statue-protest-rosary-catholic-assault/
Authorities opened an investigation after a statue of the Virgin Mary was set on fire outside St. Peter Parish in Massachusetts in July @MaryMargOlohan: https://dailycaller.com/2020/07/13/boston-virgin-mary-statue-burned-vandalism-catholic/
An individual was recorded on surveillance footage vandalizing a Virgin Mary statue in front of Cathedral Preparatory School and Seminary in Queens in July. The suspect spray painted “Idol” on the statue: https://newyork.cbslocal.com/2020/07/12/police-virgin-mary-statue-in-queens-vandalized-with-spray-paint/
Statue of Jesus at a resort in Montana was vandalized in July. The statue is a memorial to soldiers who died in WW2 and is being repainted: https://flatheadbeacon.com/2020/07/15/big-mountain-jesus-statue-repainted/
A statue of St. Junípero Serra was vandalized in CA in June. This incident was considered when investigators looked into the San Gabriel Mission fire: https://dailycaller.com/2020/06/23/california-bishops-junipero-serra-statues-george-floyd/
Also including incidents in Canada, which reportedly has also experienced a series of attacks toward churches.
A statue of Jesus was defaced at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Alberta, Canada in July https://dailycaller.com/2020/07/16/jesus-statue-vandalized-alberta-canada-sacred-heart-church-catholic
A statue of Jesus was defaced at Sacred Heart of Jesus Catholic Church in Alberta, Canada in July https://dailycaller.com/2020/07/16/jesus-statue-vandalized-alberta-canada-sacred-heart-church-catholic
Several statues at the Grotto of Our Lady of Lourdes in Ontario were beheaded in the spring. https://northernontario.ctvnews.ca/half-a-dozen-religious-statues-beheaded-in-sudbury-1.5005486
