Mass. Gen. Laws » Part IV Title I Chapter 266
Massachusetts General Laws

Mass. Gen. Laws ch. 266, § 127A (2026)

Destruction of place of worship, etc.; threats; punishment

✓ current as of July 2026
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Section 127A. Whoever willfully, intentionally and without right, or wantonly and without cause, destroys, defaces, mars, or injures a church, synagogue or other building, structure or place used for the purpose of burial or memorializing the dead, or a school, educational facility or community center or the grounds adjacent to and owned or leased by any of the foregoing or any personal property contained in any of the foregoing shall be punished by a fine of not more than two thousand dollars or not more than three times the value of the property so destroyed, defaced, marred or injured, whichever is greater, or by imprisonment in a house of correction for not more than two and one-half years, or both; provided, however, that if the damage to or loss of such property exceeds five thousand dollars, such person shall be punished by a fine of not more than three times the value of the property so destroyed, defaced, marred or injured or by imprisonment in a state prison for not more than five years, or both.

Whoever threatens to burn, deface, mar, injure, or in any way destroy a church, synagogue or other building, structure, or place of worship, shall be punished by a fine of not more than one thousand five hundred dollars, or by imprisonment in a jail or house of correction for not more than one year, or both.

Notes of Decisions
Cited in 2 cases, 1992–2004 · leading case: Commonwealth v. Deberry, 804 N.E.2d 911 (Mass. 2004).
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Commonwealth v. Deberry, 804 N.E.2d 911 (Mass. 2004). “We find added support for this conclusion from G. L. c. 266, § 127A, establishing penalties for destruction of specific types of buildings, such as churches, synagogues, schools, educational facilities, and community centers.”
Commonwealth v. DiPietro, 604 N.E.2d 1344 (Mass. App. Ct. 1992). “1 For this conduct, the defendant was convicted of religious vandalism pursuant to G. L. c. 266, § 127A. 2 That statute, as amended by St.”
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