Diversion for fan

Act of vandalism on Madonna applauded: 1000 euro fine

The statue of the Virgin Mary was beheaded

(Bild: Ulrich Kehrer)

The 31-year-old who is said to have repeatedly approved an act of vandalism against a figure of the Virgin Mary giving birth in Linz Cathedral on social media is likely to get away with it. He will have to pay a fine of 1000 euros within two weeks, after which the case will be dropped. The trial originally scheduled for Friday next week has been postponed.

The statue of the Virgin Mary, made from lime wood, was created by Tyrolean-born Esther Strauß, who created the figure with sculptor Theresa Limberger and restorer Klara Kohler. It was part of the "DonnaStage" project, which explored issues surrounding women's roles on the occasion of the 100th anniversary of the consecration of St. Mary's Cathedral. The sculpture entitled "crowning", which was exhibited the previous summer, polarized people right from the start.

Act of vandalism described as a "heroic act"
The accused 31-year-old is said to have celebrated the act of vandalism by unknown persons four times on social media as a "heroic deed" and the perpetrator as a "hero of Linz" or "brave Catholic" who put a stop to the goings-on in Linz Cathedral. He would therefore have had to stand trial for condoning a punishable act or incitement to commit such an act, which carries a sentence of up to two years in prison.

The public prosecutor's office agreed
However, the judge offered the man a diversion and the public prosecutor's office agreed. He must now pay the fine in order to avoid a possible conviction.