Attacks on Churches Increased 800 Percent in Last 6 Years: Report

At least 915 acts of hostility were carried out against U.S. churches between 2018 and 2023.

Designed by Richard Upjohn, the Church of the Holy Cross in Middletown, R.I., is a parish church of the Episcopal Diocese of Rhode Island of The Episcopal Church. Public Domain

A report released by the Family Research Council (FRC) indicates an 800 percent increase in violent incidents against churches in the past six years.

The Feb. 20 report (pdf), titled “Hostility Against Churches Is on the Rise in the United States,” shed light on the aggressive trend of increased attacks against churches, with data indicating that attacks on the places of worship doubled in 2023 over the previous year.