European Centre for Law and Justice (ECLJ) and the Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination against Christians in Europe (OIDAC) have published a new annual report showing that hate crimes and violence targeting Christians remain at persistently high levels across Europe.
The report finds that ideological motivations are increasingly driving such incidents, alongside religiously motivated attacks such as those linked to Islamist radicalism. It highlights a growing number of cases associated with militant secularism and ideological extremism, including from segments of the radical left.
According to the research, at least 2,211 anti-Christian offences were recorded in 35 European countries in 2024, including 274 physical assaults.
The report documents a wide range of incidents, from vandalism and desecration of churches to arson attacks, theft of sacred objects, threats, and direct assaults against worshippers and clergy.
It also cites the case of a Christian killed in Lyon in September 2024, a crime that the authors say went largely unnoticed by the media.
The authors stress that these are not isolated incidents but part of a trend that has intensified in recent years.
Beyond physical violence, the document points to what it describes as an increasing marginalisation of Christians in public and professional life, including restrictions on religious freedom and social penalties for expressing Christian beliefs. The ECLJ notes the absence of a dedicated European mechanism to combat what it terms “Christianophobia,” in contrast to other forms of religious hatred.
The report recommends improving data collection, officially recognising Christianophobia as a distinct form of religious intolerance, and strengthening legal protections for religious freedom.
It concludes that, in the context of ongoing secularisation, Christians have become a minority in Europe, often facing fewer rights and inadequate protection.
Photo: Basilica.ro Files / Raluca Ene
