Attacks on Churches Rising in US: 2023 Washington State Incidents

The Family Research Council is out with it's 2024 Report on Hostility against US Churches and it shows a dramatic increase in 2023.  In fact the FRC says the number of incidents more than doubled the amount reported in 2022.

The organization started tracking the numbers in 2018 and has recorded 915 acts of hostility against churches in the six-year span.  But almost half of those (47%) were reported in January through November of 2023 signaling a huge spike in crimes against churches.

The organization concludes the reason behind the escalation in criminal acts of vandalism and destruction of church property "may be symptomatic of a collapse in societal reverence and respect for houses of worship and religion."

Here is Graphic and FRC's list of 2023 incidents documented in Washington state

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Holy Rosary Church, Edmonds, Washington: January 10, 2023 Vandals cut down trees and shrubs on church property that were planted along a streambank as part of an effort to rehabilitate the salmon habitat.

Edmonds United Methodist Church, Edmonds, Washington: April 16, 2023 After the Sunday service, church members found flyers with mean and threatening messages on the windshields of their cars. The church believed it was provoked by the church’s pro-LGBT stance.

Holy Spirit Lutheran Church, Kirkland, Washington: April 23, 2023 After Sunday service, church members found flyers with hateful messages on the windshields of their cars. Church officials believed the flyers were specifically directed at LGBT-identifying individuals.

Chapel of St. Ignatius, Seattle, Washington: April 30, 2023 The chapel on the Seattle University campus was vandalized. There were slash marks on benches and cushions, and names of God on the walls were scratched out. Several other items, such as books and plants, were ruined.

Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, Vancouver, Washington: June 2023 The church’s pro-LGBT display was vandalized.

Fox Island United Church of Christ, Fox Island, Washington: June 21, 2023 The church’s sign was vandalized.

Veradale United Church of Christ, Spokane Valley, Washington: June 25, 2023 “Over two-dozen small Pride flags and three large flags—including a Pride flag, a Black Lives Matter flag, and a flag with multiple human rights-oriented messages” were stolen from the church’s exterior. Diesel fuel was poured on the lawn so that the resulting brown, dead grass spelled the phrase “LEV 2013,” a reference to Leviticus 20:13.

Apostolic Lutheran Church of Tri-Cities, Pasco, Washington: July 27, 2023 Witnesses saw a man breaking out of one of the church’s windows and running away as the church caught fire. The man was found and arrested.

United Christian Church, Renton, Washington: October 21, 2023 The church’s display of rainbow doors with the message “On Earth as in Heaven God’s doors are open to all” was run over with a vehicle and damaged.

Redemption Church, Spokane, Washington: October 22, 2023 The church has been a victim of repeated vandalism with broken windows and graffiti. Most recently, an intoxicated individual banged on the front doors while a service was in progress. The church has been trying to move due to the high crime in the area, but the vandalism has made it difficult to sell the building.

Beautiful Savior Lutheran Church, Vancouver, Washington: October 28, 2023 The church’s display of rainbow doors was vandalized with red paint and damaged. The display was also vandalized in June during Pride Month.

READ THE FULL REPORT HERE from Family Research Council