Windows at the Mauricie Islamic Cultural Centre in Trois-Rivières, Quebec, were smashed in an act of vandalism early Wednesday morning, prompting feelings of worry and hurt within the local Muslim community. The incident occurred after a period of increased online threats and harassment targeting the community in the city.
Mohamed Toubal, president of the mosque's executive committee, discovered the vandalism after reviewing security footage. The footage showed an individual arriving on foot and throwing three projectiles at the building, breaking its windows. Toubal described the event as deeply saddening, stating, "It hurts our community." The damaged windows were located outside the building's main entrance, which is named the "door of peace."
This act of vandalism follows a troubling trend of hateful online rhetoric. Just last month, a Muslim advocacy group called for an investigation into violent comments that flooded social media after a private Eid al-Adha prayer gathering in Trois-Rivières. Toubal reported that he receives screenshots of hateful comments daily and feels less safe, attributing some of the increased tension to Quebec's secularism laws. He emphasized that the cultural centre is more than just a prayer space and condemned vandalism against any religious buildings, expressing concern about potential escalation of violence. The Muslim population in Trois-Rivières is estimated to be around 2,000 people.
The incident has resonated with broader concerns about Islamophobia in Quebec. In May 2026, hateful and threatening comments, some referencing the 2017 Quebec City mosque shooting, targeted a private Eid al-Adha prayer gathering. The Canadian Muslim Forum, an advocacy group, called for an investigation and urged elected officials to speak out against Islamophobia. While the current incident in Trois-Rivières involved property damage, it has amplified existing fears and a desire for increased vigilance and community solidarity.
