MILA was vandalized in Montreal. An office building belonging to Quebec’s Artificial Intelligence Institute was defaced on September 15, 2026, with smashed windows and anti-AI graffiti covering its walls. The vandalism happened as one of Canada’s largest AI and tech summits was underway in Montreal.
SPVM officers on patrol discovered the damage at about 11:45 p.m. Tuesday on Saint-Urbain Street, near Saint-Zotique Street West, in Montreal’s Rosemont-La Petite-Patrie borough. Initial findings showed several windows had been smashed and multiple graffiti tags had been spray-painted across the building.
Images shared by CBC show one tag reading “burn the data centers.” The message gives the incident a clear target, even if smashing windows remains a remarkably low-tech way to make a point about advanced technology.
Police Identify Group Involved
Montreal police determined that a group of about 10 individuals was involved in the vandalism. Police found a 25-year-old woman near the scene and arrested her before taking her to a detention centre for questioning.
The woman was later released without conditions. Her arrest does not establish that she took part in the damage, and the investigation remains ongoing as police work to determine what happened and who was responsible.
Manuel Couture, an SPVM spokesperson, said: “The windows of the building were smashed and numerous graffiti tags were sprayed on the walls.” Police are checking for surveillance cameras and collecting evidence as the investigation continues.
Vandalism Lands During AI Summit
The timing placed the damage alongside a major gathering for Canada’s AI and technology sector. Yoshua Bengio, the founder of Mila, is set to speak at the event on Thursday, adding a prominent name to the week’s backdrop of protests and anti-AI activity.
The facts so far are direct: a Mila building was defaced, about 10 individuals were identified as involved, and a woman was detained near the scene before being released without conditions. Police have not completed their investigation, so the graffiti provides context for the incident but does not answer every question about the people who carried it out.
The case also puts a physical disruption beside a broader dispute over AI infrastructure. The phrase “burn the data centers” points toward opposition to the systems that support artificial intelligence, while the damaged building belongs to an institute associated with AI research in Quebec.
For now, SPVM is relying on surveillance footage and collected evidence to move the investigation forward. The vandalism occurred Tuesday night, September 15, 2026, and the update was issued on September 16, 2026, at 7:30 a.m. EDT.
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