(Compass) – Over the past six months, vigilante groups in at least five Turkish cities have threatened Protestant church workers and attacked their places of worship. Simultaneously, the Turkish media has fanned intense criticism of Christian missionary activity. Even government ministers have claimed that foreign missionaries had political motives aimed at “damaging the social peace and unity of Turkey .” The latest attack came yesterday and threatened the safety of Pastor Wolfgang Hade of the Izmit Protestant Church . None of the attacks against Protestants have received coverage in the national press, in part because local Christians admit they are reluctant to be identified and harassed even further. “But if there is no response to these incidents of violence and to the youths doing it, they will just continue,” the Alliance of Protestant Churches press spokesman told Compass.