Wisconsin Church Vandalized with Pro-Abortion, Anti-Police Graffiti
Vandals spray-painted “anti–‘pro-life’ and anti-police rhetoric” on a Wisconsin church on Sunday, police said.
A vandal spray-painted a profane message on the front of St. Bernard Catholic Church in Madison, critiquing the church’s position on abortion and referencing the deaths of Native American children at 19th and 20th century boarding schools.
“Pro life my f***ing a** let’s talk about all the native kids you’ve killed!!!” the graffiti reads.
St. Bernard Pastor Michael Radowicz told WMTV the church is “saddened over the graffiti on the front of the church.”
“We understand people’s anger over the recent ruling by the Supreme Court, but this does nothing to solve any issues,” he said, referring to the Court overturning Roe v. Wade.
“We join in prayer for those who did this, so that the Lord may heal their hearts. An investigation is ongoing with Madison Police,” he added.
The crime comes two months after vandals targeted the headquarters of a Wisconsin pro-life group, setting a fire in the office and marking the building with graffiti that said, “If abortions aren’t safe then you aren’t either.”
As the fight over abortion in the U.S. has grown more contentious, churches and pregnancy centers have increasingly been on the receiving end of vandalism and violent attacks.
The U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops has tracked at least 144 incidents of vandalism at Catholic sites in the U.S. since May 2020. The incidents, which have occurred across 36 states and Washington, D.C., include arson; statues beheaded; statue limbs cut, smashed, and painted; gravestones defaced with swastikas and anti-Catholic language and American flags next to them burned; and other destruction and vandalism.
The USCCB began tracking vandalism at Catholic sites after a pair of Catholic churches — San Gabriel Mission in California and Queen of Peace Catholic Church in Florida – were set on fire on July 11, 2020.
