Attacks Against Christians Rise in Major European Country
The nation which produced Charlemagne, Godfrey of Bouillon, Saint Louis, John Calvin, and other heroes of Christendom is now seeing increasing levels of attacks against Christians.
International Christian Concern noted in a June 3 report that the French government’s Interior Ministry found a 70 percent rise in anti-Christian attacks in 2025.
Those attacks included “a doubling of physical assaults targeting members of the Christian community and church leaders.”
There was also “a sharp rise in disruptions of religious services and threats against worshippers.”
Jews likewise saw increased religious pressure, with 53 percent of all recorded anti-religious acts in France targeting Jews or synagogues.
Meanwhile, 34 percent of recorded anti-religious acts targeted Christians or churches.
Worthy News reported that there were a total of 843 anti-Christian incidents in 2025, an increase from 9 percent from the prior year.
Most of the incidents involved vandalism or targeting of churches, but there are now more attacks against individual Christians.
“These anti-religious acts undermine freedom of conscience and the free exercise of religion,” the French Interior Ministry said.
“They weaken national cohesion. They endanger the very balance of our society.”
There are fewer anti-religious incidents against Muslims, but such reported incidents are also on the rise.
The French constitution allows citizens to choose and change their religion.
But French President Emmanuel Macron signed a law in 2021 “providing authorities broader powers to monitor and close down religious organizations and groups they determined to be promoting ideas contrary to French values,” according to a report from the U.S. State Department.
The law was meant to target Islam, but various Roman Catholic and Protestant groups said the statute “risks undermining fundamental freedoms” such as freedom of worship.
France has an officially secular government, meaning there is strict separation of religion and state.
Government employees are banned from wearing any signs of religious affiliation — even Christian crosses — while carrying out their duties.
“The prohibition applies during working hours even if the agents are not in their place of employment and at any time at the place of employment,” the State Department report added.
The government usually cannot fund new places of worship, but owns and is responsible for upkeep of those built before 1905 — especially Roman Catholic facilities.
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