More than 500 attacks on Catholic churches have taken place across the United States since the civil unrest that followed the death of George Floyd in May 2020, with a notable escalation after the leak of the US Supreme Court’s draft ruling on Roe v. Wade in 2022.
As of May 2025, at least 502 incidents have been recorded. These include arson, acts of vandalism involving satanic or political graffiti, shattered windows, beheaded or defaced statues, and illegal disruptions of church services. While some cases have involved theft, most were acts of deliberate destruction, suggesting motives rooted in hostility rather than material gain.
The attacks have spanned 43 states and the District of Columbia. States reporting the highest number of incidents include California (69), New York (57), Pennsylvania (35), Florida (23), and Texas (22). Major cities such as New York (46 incidents), Los Angeles (27), Philadelphia (16), and Denver (15) have seen repeated attacks, with some churches targeted multiple times.
CatholicVote, a Catholic advocacy group tracking these incidents, estimates that arrests have been made in only about 30 percent of cases.
In a December 2021 letter to US Attorney General Merrick Garland, CatholicVote urged federal authorities to act under a statute that mandates the protection of places of worship. While the Department of Justice acknowledged the concern and promised a review, CatholicVote claims no specific actions have followed, and no federal charges have been filed in any of the incidents.
Brian Burch, president of CatholicVote, has drawn parallels between the current wave of church vandalism and historical patterns of anti-Catholic violence in the US, citing past activity by groups such as the Ku Klux Klan.
Following the leak of the Supreme Court’s draft opinion in May 2022, attacks on Catholic churches surged, often featuring pro-abortion graffiti. By that time, CatholicVote had renewed its calls for federal intervention, though with no visible outcome.
A Department of Homeland Security bulletin issued in June 2022 warned of increased threats against religious institutions in light of politically charged events. Despite this, CatholicVote says Catholic churches remain vulnerable, with no tangible protection efforts from federal agencies.
In 2023 and 2024, CatholicVote sent further appeals to Congress and the Department of Justice urging action. In June 2024, a letter was sent to the Assistant Attorney General for Civil Rights, but no reply was received.
The number of attacks by year is as follows:
2020 (from 28 May onward): 60 incidents
2021: 82 incidents
2022: 143 incidents
2023: 108 incidents
2024: 85 incidents
2025 (to date): 24 incidents
Despite repeated pleas from Catholic organisations and members of Congress, the attacks on Catholic churches show no sign of decline.
Based on reporting originally shared by Catholic Vote.
