Anger over city church vandalism
GLASGOW’S Archdiocese has strongly condemned the ‘shameful’ vandalism of a Catholic church in Glasgow’s West End that has served the city’s Polish community for decades.
Officers believe St Simon’s Catholic Church on Partick Bridge Street was targeted between 1.30pm and 4pm on Monday afternoon, when the church was open and said there was “significant damage.”
Police said the incident was not thought to be sectarian related but inquiries are continuing.
Images shared on social media showed damage to statues and other holy relics in the altar area of the church including a shrine to Our Lady of Cz stochowa, which has been in the church since the 1940s and is reflective of the Polish parishioners, who attend a weekly mass in their native language.
The Archdiocese of Glasgow described the incident as a “shameful attack on a much loved church and added: “Let’s find those responsible and send out the message loud and clear that this kind of action is unacceptable.”
St Peter’s Catholic Church, in Partick, called on parishioners to remain vigilant.
Meanwhile, parishioners spoke of their shock after learning about the attack.
Paul Keeley wrote: “Disgusting vandalism of St Simon’s Church.
“The shrine of Our Lady of Cz stochowa was dear to the Polish population that worships there and has been there since the 1940s.”
Another tweeted: “Saddened to see the vandalism at St Simon’s church in Partick.
“During the war it gave a place for Polish service personnel in the city to meet and pray.
“Those brave folk often gave their lives fighting against fascism.”
Janice Mills said: “It was very distressing for the elderly volunteers to find their church damaged like this St Simon’s is a small church serving Partick.”
The Call it Out group, which campaigns against anti-Catholic bigotry, said there had been rise in incidents in the past two weeks.
The group tweeted: “In the last 10 days we have seen vandalism of a Catholic cemetery in Glasgow, anti-Catholic graffiti on a bus stop outside a Catholic Church in Lanarkshire and now an act of desecration of a Catholic Church in the West End of Glasgow.
“Please stand with us in challenging this.”
A police spokeswoman said: “Between 1.30pm and 4pm on Monday, April 29, vandalism was carried out at St Simon’s church at Partick Bridge Street.
“The church would have been open at the time.
“There is nothing to suggest the incident is sectarian or hate crime. Inquiries are ongoing.”