On International Women's Day, a group of women visibly aligned with feminist and atheist progressivism desecrated the front of an evangelical house of worship in the city of Luján, in the province of Buenos Aires, Argentina. The women were marching on the occasion of the 2024 International Feminist Strike demanding rights that they claim they do not have or that are being suppressed.
As they walked through the door of the International Worship Center, they began painting graffiti, shouting insults, and making obscene gestures, just as they had on three previous occasions.
"This is the fourth time that these acts have been repeated. We had warned the municipality about it, but they didn't take any action. They had promised us to take care of the church, but they failed to do so," said Pastor Alejandro Espinola, who leads the church and also serves as the Secretary of the Christian Alliance of Evangelical Churches of the Argentine Republic (ACIERA), while talking to CDI about the incident.
Previous acts of vandalism have included not only evangelical houses of worship but also Catholic Church buildings such as the iconic Basilica of Luján, where parishioners from different parts of the country come in procession each year.
Minutes before the attack, another group of women from the church were at the door around a table where they were taking prayer requests and distributing Bible literature, since the church is located in the center of the city. When they saw the radicalized group of women approaching, they decided to enter the church so as not to provoke them and hoping to avoid what unfortunately ended up happening anyway.
"A group of women from our church preached all morning. They had set up a table at the door for Women's Day. When the sisters found out the women were coming, they put things away and locked themselves in the church until they passed, so they wouldn't say they were provoking them. But they still did all these barbaric things, screaming insults and graffiti," Espinola said.
These acts have the sole purpose of "damaging the property of others and attacking the place of worship," said ACIERA, the institution that brings together the largest number of churches in the country. In addition, the alliance of churches issued a statement condemning the acts and calling for reflection on these aggressive and vicious acts.
"At a time when violence seems to be rampant in our society, it is imperative to remember the importance of respecting and tolerating differences in thought and belief. The diversity of religious views and practices enriches our community and fosters an environment of mutual respect. It is essential to reflect on the impact of our actions and words on others, and to promote dialogue and empathy as tools for building a more inclusive and peaceful society," ACIERA said in its statement.
