In July 1936, anarchists set fire to the church’s crypt and broke into the architect’s workshop before destroying many of his plans and plaster models.
—
CNN Money,
CNN Money,
8 June 2026
But divining Gaudí's intentions has required detective work, because during the Spanish Civil War, anarchists protesting the Catholic Church set fire to parts of the structure, and smashed Gaudí's models into 8,000 pieces.
But among the radicals of Eugene, such success invited mistrust, born of a faith that any American victory was, ultimately, being purchased in blood.
—
Literary Hub,
Literary Hub,
10 July 2026
In the early days of the republic, there were many radicals and reformers who shared my suspicion that patriotism was an evasion, substituting songs and speeches about liberty for the reality.
Rushdie has spent almost 40 years under threat of death from Islamic extremists after the Ayatollah Khomeini issued a fatwa against him, claiming Rushdie’s novel The Satanic Verses blasphemed Islam and mocked the Prophet Muhammad.
—
Matthew Carey,
Deadline,
14 July 2026
The planned demonstration of force was timed to bring a fringe group of extremists into public view as the nation marked 250 years of its independence.
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