The Parisian church of St. Rita was evacuated on Wednesday by French police despite protests and a longtime legal battle. The church was occupied by faithful, priests and some centre right politicians. The owner of the church wants to demolish it to build a car parking. (BFMTV)

“In France we kill priests and demolish the churches” was written outside the church before the police arrived. (Le Figaro)

One said: “Jihadists have slit the throat of a priest. Anne Hidalgo [the mayor of Paris] helps them by destroying churches.”  Another said: “The day after the funeral of a murdered priest, it destroyed a church in #SainteRita to make parking… Seriously?” (Express)

This happened one week after the death of father Jacques Hamel by ISIS.

Churches built before 1905 are the property of the state, which also pays for their upkeep. St. Rita church was not owned by the state and was used by the small Gallican Catholic Church, drawing crowds for its traditional Latin Mass and its monthly animal Mass. The church is named for the patron saint of lost causes. (Washington Post)

(Photo credit to Le Figaro/Sebastien Soriano)