Cameras capture the destruction of a Christ statue in Vilnius; one of the perpetrators leaves laughing

Two people removed a statue of Jesus Christ from a wooden cross and smashed it in the street in Vilnius, the capital of Lithuania. The incident took place overnight between November 11 and 12 in the inner courtyard of the Divine Mercy Church in the Old Town.

Security camera footage shows them laughing, while one holds the golden figure and poses for photos. As he lifts it by the arms, parts of the statue break off and it falls to the ground, where it shatters.

The person holding it cries, “Oh, my God!” then runs off laughing. The other person also flees. A short time later, a vehicle drives over the statue’s fragments.

British media report that the two people are suspected of being British nationals, but their identities and nationalities have not been officially confirmed. One of them appeared to be under the influence of alcohol.

Priest Elijas Anatolijus Markauskas responded to the incident on social media, asking for help identifying those responsible and expressing sorrow over the damage to the religious figure. He said the broken statue reminded him of Christ’s suffering: Christ was scorned, beaten and nailed to the cross, yet continued to love.

Vilnius police announced that they had launched a preliminary investigation. The value of the damage to the statue is still being determined.