Vandals Trash California Parochial School, Sparking Hate Crime Probe

Federal authorities investigate if attack on Holy Innocents Catholic School is part of a wave of crimes targeting Catholic institutions.

Feb. 4, 2026 at 1:31pm

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The Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division has launched an investigation into the late-night ransacking of Holy Innocents Catholic School in Long Beach, California, as a potential hate crime. The extensive damage included the mutilation and beheading of a life-sized statue of the Virgin Mary, as well as the desecration of other religious objects. While local police initially described it as a 'crime of opportunity' during a burglary, others suspect the attack may be part of a broader trend of criminal acts targeting Catholic institutions across the U.S.

Why it matters

The attack on Holy Innocents Catholic School comes amid a reported surge in crimes against Catholic churches and other Catholic institutions in recent years, with over 500 such incidents documented since 2020. This has raised concerns about the targeting of the Catholic community and the potential for these attacks to be motivated by religious animus or ideological factors beyond simple property crimes.

The details

The vandalism at Holy Innocents Catholic School included smashed statues of the Virgin Mary, with hands and heads chopped off; prayer books strewn across the floor; the tabernacle ripped from the chapel; and damage to musical instruments, audiovisual equipment, and other items. School principal Cyril Cruz described the 'desecration of the religious objects' as the 'most disheartening' part of the incident.

  • The incident occurred in the late night hours earlier this week at the Long Beach parochial school.
  • Classes at Holy Innocents resumed on Tuesday, and a mass for students was held in the school's gym the following day.

The players

Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division

The federal agency that is investigating the incident at Holy Innocents Catholic School as a potential hate crime.

Cyril Cruz

The principal of Holy Innocents Catholic School, who described the 'desecration of the religious objects' as the most upsetting part of the vandalism.

Catholics for Catholics

A self-described 'patriotic' group that wrote about the 'persecution of the holy innocents' continuing to be 'real and literal'.

Catholic Votes

An advocacy organization that has tracked over 500 attacks against Catholic churches in the U.S. since 2020.

Bishop Joseph Strickland

A former East Texas bishop who criticized the FBI's targeting of traditionalist Catholics as reminiscent of authoritarian regimes.

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What they’re saying

“A statue of the blessed mother which had been here since the school opened (in 1958) was desecrated and smashed. Another statue was beheaded in there. I think the part that was the most disheartening is the desecration of the religious objects. These are items of our faith.”

— Cyril Cruz, Principal, Holy Innocents Catholic School (Long Beach Post News)

“The persecution of the holy innocents continues to be real and literal.”

— Catholics for Catholics (X post)

What’s next

The Department of Justice's Civil Rights Division will continue its investigation to determine if the attack on Holy Innocents Catholic School is part of a broader pattern of hate crimes targeting Catholic institutions.

The takeaway

This incident highlights the growing concerns about the targeting of Catholic churches and schools, with over 500 such attacks documented nationwide since 2020. The investigation into the Holy Innocents vandalism will shed light on whether this was an isolated incident or part of a troubling trend of religious-based hate crimes.