A TK-12 Catholic school in Long Beach, California, has suffered major damage after vandals destroyed religious icons in an attack between Sunday night and Monday morning. Holy Innocents School is a traditional Catholic school that offers a classical liberal arts education. “Our students grow academically, spiritually, and morally, preparing to become leaders rooted in faith,” the school website declares.
Neither the Long Beach Police nor the Archdiocese of Los Angeles has responded to questions from The Federalist as of publication, but local reports show damage that appears to focus on the destruction of religious icons: “Statues of the Virgin Mary were smashed — hands and at least one head chopped off. Prayer books were dumped from bookshelves and strewn across the floor. The tabernacle had been ripped from its chapel, its doors pried partially open,” according to the Long Beach Post.
Evidence about the intent of the vandals is mixed, with other acts of vandalism destroying things like audiovisual equipment and snack boxes.
On social media, Assistant Attorney General Harmeet Dhillon promised a federal investigation into the attack on a church school, calling it an “awful crime.”
A fundraiser on GoFundMe is soliciting donations to repair the school, though the fundraising site also suggests donating directly through the website of Holy Innocents School.
The religious rights organization International Christian Concern reports that 2025 was a year of significant attacks on churches in the United States, in a growing trend of religious intolerance.
Update: After publication, the Long Beach Police Department provided a statement to The Federalist:
“On Feb. 2, 2026, officers responded to a reported burglary that occurred in the 2500 block of Pacific Avenue. The preliminary investigation indicates that unknown suspect(s) broke into a school and stole multiple items. While the investigation is ongoing, this incident appears to be a crime of opportunity with damage caused during the course of the burglary. The extent of the loss is still undetermined. Suspect information and circumstances of the incident are under investigation.
“At this time, we are not releasing any photo or video of the incident.“
