As is well-known, March 8 is International Women’s Day, a date that, in addition to traditional claims, is becoming the day chosen by Christianophobic feminist groups to attack Catholic temples and buildings with graffiti and vandalism in Spain and Latin America.
Among the incidents of Christianophobia that have come to light is the case of feminist protesters attacking the Immaculate Heart of Mary Church of the Claretian Fathers in Sabadell, Spain, by throwing paint at it and sticking posters on the doors. The worshippers who were inside (this is a Perpetual Adoration church) managed to close the doors on time, and the violent men then decided to slam them, deface them, and smear the floor with paint.
One of the most violent places in Latin America has been Mexico City. Protesters attacked the Metropolitan Cathedral in Plaza de la Constitución. They could not get through because, as in previous years, police deployed an iron wall with heavy forms, which were very difficult to move, that prevented the violent protesters from getting through. In the city of Puebla, Mexico, local feminist groups tried to destroy the statues of angels atop the fence in front of the cathedral. In Mérida, Yucatán, they defaced the Cathedral of San Ildefonso with messages such as “Abort the Church.” In Xalapa, Mexico, a woman threw paint at worshippers guarding the El Beaterio church. Among the slogans shouted were “Get your rosaries off our ovaries” and “Death to pro-lifers.” The walls of Xalapa Minor Seminary were defaced and some windows smashed.
In Argentina, in Salta, feminist groups vandalized street furniture near the Cathedral Basilica. The fences set up to protect the temple were broken into and the policewomen protecting it were beaten. A policewoman was injured.
In Santa Cruz, Bolivia, feminist groups vandalized the Basilica Menor de San Lorenzo Martir with graffiti. Also, in the city of Cochabamba, the Cathedral of St. Sebastian was attacked with rude graffiti. Archbishop Óscar Aparicio protested, “In the name of respect and nonviolence, violence and insults are being inflicted on us. I think this is unacceptable for anyone.”
Attacks on this occasion were fewer than in previous years, mainly due to the police protecting the churches. Such was the case at the Cordon Church in Montevideo, Uruguay, where an entire squad of police officers prevented feminists from vandalizing the church, which had been the target of attacks in previous years.
There are various groups that hate the Church and sometimes commit acts of vandalism: some kinds of anarchists, jihadists, communists… but feminists are the only ones who have a day every year around the world dedicated not to promoting their femininity, but rather to attacking Christian structures. Instead of calling it women’s day, we should rename 8 March as a festival of church destruction and attacks on Christian worshippers.