Justice Division probing vandalism of Catholic faculty in California

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The Justice Department's Civil Rights Division introduced on Monday that it was launching an investigation after a Catholic faculty in Lengthy Seaside, California, was damaged into and vandalized.

"The @CivilRights will open an investigation into this terrible crime," Assistant Lawyer Normal for Civil Rights Harmeet Dhillon stated on X.

The Holy Innocents Catholic College was desecrated after its meeting corridor, chapel and school rooms have been damaged into, faculty officers stated.

Statues were smashed , pictures of Mary and different spiritual figures have been destroyed and {a photograph} of the pope was knocked to the ground, pictures of the destruction present.

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The Holy Innocents Catholic College's meeting corridor, chapel and school rooms have been damaged into and desecrated. (KTTV)

The vandalism additionally contains defecation on faculty grounds, in addition to partially consumed meals and drinks left behind, permitting authorities to conduct DNA exams as they seek for suspects, in line with Fox 11.

Local police and the FBI have been contacted concerning the incident.

Investigators stated the church suffered an estimated $100,000 in damages from the break-in, Fox 11 reported.

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<source media="(max-width: 767px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/02/343/192/catholic-church-vandalized-california-doj-civil-rights-complaint.png?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/02/686/384/catholic-church-vandalized-california-doj-civil-rights-complaint.png?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="192" width="343"><source media="(min-width: 768px) and (max-width: 1023px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/02/672/378/catholic-church-vandalized-california-doj-civil-rights-complaint.png?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/02/1344/756/catholic-church-vandalized-california-doj-civil-rights-complaint.png?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="378" width="672"><source media="(min-width: 1024px) and (max-width: 1279px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/02/931/523/catholic-church-vandalized-california-doj-civil-rights-complaint.png?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/02/1862/1046/catholic-church-vandalized-california-doj-civil-rights-complaint.png?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="523" width="931"><source media="(min-width: 1280px)" srcset="https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/02/720/405/catholic-church-vandalized-california-doj-civil-rights-complaint.png?ve=1&tl=1, https://a57.foxnews.com/static.foxnews.com/foxnews.com/content/uploads/2026/02/1440/810/catholic-church-vandalized-california-doj-civil-rights-complaint.png?ve=1&tl=1 2x" height="405" width="720"> Investigators stated the church suffered an estimated $100,000 in damages from the break-in. (KTTV)

"Statues smashed. Pictures of Our Woman destroyed. The tabernacle thrown to the ground. This is without doubt one of the worst instances of vandalism the native bishop has ever seen. Hatred of Christ solely destroys hearts. Pray for this faculty," Lila Rose, president of pro-life group Stay Motion, wrote on X.

Members of the church stated they have been heartbroken after studying concerning the desecration.

"There are crucifixes. There are statues of the Blessed Mom. The tabernacle itself was taken and thrown on the ground and the Sacred Home is there. That, to me, is extra traumatizing than anything. It is not simply the fabric issues. It is the center behind the issues," Holy Innocents faculty principal Cyril Cruz advised Fox 11, including that "evil is on the market, so we have to pray."

Members of the church stated they have been heartbroken after studying concerning the desecration. (KTTV)

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A GoFundMe launched to help the varsity has raised almost $60,000 as of Tuesday morning.

"What seems to have been a number of perpetrators smashed statues and ruined pictures of our Woman, different statues as effectively, and threw the tabernacle down … Bishop Mark Trudeau stated that it's the worst case of vandalism that he is ever seen within the area," the fundraiser reads.