Colombia: Churches and Christians targeted during national protests

• Evangelico Digital reported on 26 June 2021 that, during the continued anti-government demonstrations, several hooded young men threw Molotov cocktails at the Philadelphia Christian Church, located near the Surcolombiana University in Huila.
• ALC reported on 25 June 2021 that a Methodist pastor in Cali had been receiving a whole series of threats for over a month and a half due to his work for human rights and peace in the local communities during the national demonstrations.

Rossana Ramirez, persecution analyst at World Watch Research (WWR) comments: " It has become an increasingly common feature in the region that Christian churches are attacked when demonstrations become violent. During the protests and turmoil unleashed in Colombia since April 2021 due to the proposed tax reform (Al-Jazeera, 30 June 2021), the Church has played an important role, not only for taking part in the dialogue between the government and the national strike committee, but also through its work in support of peace and human rights, condemning at the same time the indiscriminate use of violence against protesters by the security forces. Christian leaders and activists have also become targets of hostilities, especially when they have tried to help young protesters in various ways."