There have been over 600 attacks on places of worship in Northern Ireland in the past five years, prompting calls for action to protect churches and other religious buildings.
Following a Freedom of Information request to the police, Christian Action Research and Education (CARE), have discovered that since 2014/15, there have been 601 crimes recorded as criminal damage to religious buildings, churchyards, or cemeteries in the North across the 11 policing districts.
This breaks down as, on average, an attack on a place of worship every three days for the past five years.
Belfast has seen the vast majority of these, with 173 attacks – over a quarter of the total number.
Speaking of the attacks, CARE policy officer Mark Baillie said: “More than 600 attacks in the last five years is a reminder that places of worship, which should be safe spaces for worshippers and congregants, are all too often targeted by vandalism and violence.”
He continued: “It is a human right for individuals to live out and practice their religious beliefs and attacks on places of worship offend against those rights.”
Rev. Aaron McAlister, Rector of Derriaghy Parish Church, echoed these sentiments, but on a more personal level.
“In November 2019, our Church was broken in to and vandalised.
“Significant damage was caused to our vestry and our sanctuary.”
Effect
Speaking of the effect these actions had on his community, he said, “It left many of my parishioners deeply upset. An attack on a place of worship is an attack on the community that worships there.”
Going off these figures, CARE NI has exhorted the Executive to consider policies to ensure places of worship are properly protected following lockdown, as churches return to worship services.
The charity has previously called for a scheme similar to those in England and Wales to be set up, which provides financial resources so that places of worship can buy security measures such as CCTV, fences, and lighting.
Commenting on the scheme, Mr Baillie said, “The scheme in England and Wales is a practical step we could introduce here to equip places of worship to invest in adequate security to prevent criminal damage.”
