A gunman who killed a police officer and an innocent civilian in Montreal on June 22, 2026, targeted the headquarters of Aylo, the parent company of Pornhub, according to the manifesto he left behind. Seth Hatfield, a doctoral student in philosophy from the University of Lethbridge, drove across Canada to carry out the attack, which also wounded several others. Police have not officially confirmed the target, but the address matches and Hatfield's writings explicitly list pornography companies as legitimate targets.
Manifesto details grievances
In his manifesto, Hatfield expressed anger at a wide range of societal issues. He wrote that "porn companies themselves are just as bad, if not worse than drug dealers are, for the porn company effectively acts as both a drug manufacturer, and a drug dealer." He also called for the abolition of pornography and dating apps, and strict controls on social media and the internet. "Pornography and dating apps should obviously be abolished, and social media should probably be abolished as well," he stated.
Hatfield's manifesto also targeted Jews and Zionists, calling them "legitimate targets," and criticized capitalism, women, modern relationships, plastic surgeons, microplastics, environmental destruction, and "fur farmers." He listed "elite politicians and their cronies, both 'liberal' and 'conservative'; as well as powerful generals, leading military figures, influential Zionists, and war hawks" as acceptable targets, along with corporations like IBM, Microsoft, and Boeing.
Ideological incoherence
Despite his academic background, Hatfield's manifesto lacked coherent political philosophy, stitching together grievances from both far-left and far-right ideologies. At times he praised communist countries like China, Laos, Vietnam, North Korea, and Cuba for lacking consumerism, and lauded China's swift justice. He also praised Karl Marx and other far-left figures. The attack occurred outside the Aylo building in Montreal, with broken glass and bullet holes visible on vehicles. The shooter's motivations, according to author Brian Lilley, ultimately boil down to a hatred of pornography that defies rational explanation for most.
