Fact-Checking the Latest Anti-Muslim Hate Campaign in Quebec.
Tuesday, August 11, 2026: A video post on X (formerly Twitter) screamed:
“SHOCKING: Another church is burned down in Canada by a Muslim immigrant,” regarding an incident that allegedly occurred on August 7, 2026.
The video featured dramatic images of a church in Quebec engulfed in flames. The accompanying text claimed this incident happened recently and presented it as evidence of a Muslim immigrant setting fire to a Christian place of worship.
Investigations revealed the video was posted by an account called “Khan Fatima,” which was linked to a previously suspended profile known for spreading false claims about immigrants being responsible for church fires.
Islamophobia Amplified.
The video and accompanying screenshots rapidly circulated on platforms like Facebook, X, Instagram, and Threads, in multiple languages including French, Spanish, Vietnamese, and Haitian Creole. Some posts claimed the alleged arson was part of a process of “Islamization,” while others called for an end to what they described as “Christian genocide,” indicating a clear source of this Canadian version of Hasbara propaganda.
Not wanting to miss out on such a sensational topic, conservative US commentator David Harris Jr., who has previously shared multiple debunked false claims, amplified the unproven allegation on Facebook and implied that the fire had just recently occurred.
The Facts:
However, the clip is over a year old and depicts the Église de l’Immaculée-Conception, which burned down on July 17, 2025, in Saint-Ours, Quebec, located about 80 kilometers (50 miles) northeast of Montreal.
The fire was not the result of arson; it was caused by a lightning strike, a fact confirmed by the local government. Pascale Dalcourt, the general director of Saint-Ours, stated in an email to AFP on August 10, 2026, “The fire was caused by a lightning strike during the severe thunderstorms that hit the region that evening.”
A press release from Saint-Ours and news reports from the time corroborate that a lightning strike started the fire. Dalcourt also shared a screenshot of a weather map showing the recorded lightning activity from July 17, 2025, with a strike hitting the church’s former location at the center of town.
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