"Krone" knows the numbers

Hundreds of acts of vandalism in Styrian churches

In 2020, vandals graffitied the Kreuzkirche (right) in Graz's Volksgarten, in 2022 Satanists vandalized the Vinzenzkirche (left) of Pastor Wolfgang Pucher.

(Bild: Krone KREATIV/Wolfgang Pucher, Richard Heintz)

The "Krone" newspaper has the latest figures from the Ministry of the Interior: thefts and damage to property are on the increase in Styrian cemeteries, churches and religious buildings! "There must be no leniency on the part of the judiciary!" demands the FPÖ.

This disgraceful act has horrified many believers in Graz: two years ago, Satanists vandalized the Vinzenzkirche church of the now deceased poor priest Wolfgang Pucher. However, this outrageous act of vandalism was just one of many that have been committed in our places of worship and cemeteries in recent years. Most of them just didn't reach the public eye - as evidenced by a parliamentary questionnaire submitted by ÖVP Interior Minister Gerhard Karner to FPÖ Member of the National Council Hannes Amesbauer. The figures are available to the "Krone" - and the facts are quite something.

Attacks on our churches and cemeteries are evidence of the particular amorality of the perpetrators. Anyone who steals from a church facility or vandalizes a grave should not expect any leniency from the justice system!

Hannes Amesbauer (FPÖ)

Bild: Christian Jauschowetz

Between 2020 and 2023, 309 crimes were reported in churches and other religious buildings. Offenders vandalized sacred interiors particularly frequently: the police had to be called out a total of 106 times due to damage to property, some of which was serious. In addition, there were 110 theft offenses or thefts by burglary or with a weapon (86).

Sexual harassment was also reported
There was one report in each of the four years surveyed in the areas of sexual harassment and public sexual acts, suppression of documents and misappropriation of means of payment. A total of 107,000 euros worth of damage was caused, 95 people were listed as suspects, 27 of whom were non-Austrians.

Particularly sad: the vandals did not even stop at our cemeteries, with police officers recording 181 criminal offenses! The list of reports also includes dozens of cases of damage to property (61), while brazen thieves also struck more than a hundred times. Individual cases of drug abuse and sex attacks were also documented.