CV NEWS FEED // As civil unrest gripped the country in the aftermath of the death of George Floyd in May 2020, Catholic churches were not exempt from mobs that destroyed property in cities across America. But while the riots and looting mostly died down in the summer of 2020, the attacks on Catholic churches have continued and escalated.
Since civil unrest began on May 28, 2020, there have been at least 281 attacks against Catholic churches in the United States, including arson attacks which damaged or destroyed historic churches; spray-painting and graffiti of satanic messages; rocks and bricks thrown through windows; and statues destroyed (often with heads cut off). A new spate of at least 124 attacks has occurred since the draft Supreme Court opinion proposing to reverse Roe v. Wade was leaked in early May 2022, with many including graffiti with pro-abortion messages. Crucially, while a handful of the attacks have included thefts, the vast majority have only involved property destruction, indicating that the primary motive is not material gain.
The attacks on Catholic churches have been widespread across the country, affecting 42 states plus DC. The states with the most attacks are California (42), New York (28), Pennsylvania (19), Texas (15), Colorado (14), New Jersey (14), Massachusetts (12), Florida (11), Washington (11), and Oregon (10). Hotspots with large clusters of attacks include New York City (25) and the metro areas of Denver (13); Los Angeles (13); San Francisco/Bay Area (11); Washington, D.C. (10); Boston (10); Portland, Oregon (9); Seattle (7); Chicago (6); and Houston (5). Some of the churches have been attacked multiple times.
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