A new investigation shows threats, violence, and arson attacks targeting Christians in Europe grew significantly more severe over the last year, highlighting mounting concerns about the spread of radical Islam and anti-Christian sentiments across the continent.
Although the total number of hate incidents slightly declined, the Vienna-based Observatory on Intolerance and Discrimination Against Christians in Europe (OIDAC Europe) warned that attacks have become more brutal, ranging from physical assaults and church burnings to targeted killings.
OIDAC Europe said 2,211 anti-Christian hate crimes were recorded across the continent in 2024, slightly fewer than in 2023. However, physical attacks rose sharply from 232 cases in 2023 to 274 cases last year, while arson attacks on churches and Christian properties nearly doubled, reaching 94 recorded incidents.
The watchdog cautioned that data on personal attacks from France and the United Kingdom — two of the countries with chronically high levels of hostility toward Christians — was not available, suggesting the real numbers could be considerably higher.
France, Britain, Germany, Spain, and Austria recorded the highest totals of anti-Christian incidents.
