Los Angeles, the City of Angels, has become a charred battleground, consumed by the relentless advance of the worst wildfire in history. The once-glorious landscape, home to the iconic Hollywood hills, now lies in ruin. Spanning thousands of acres, the inferno has obliterated everything in its path, leaving destruction and despair in its wake. As of now, 24 lives have been tragically lost, with countless others still missing. Over 12,000 structures have been ravaged, and the estimated property loss exceeds a staggering $135 billion. Six simultaneous fires—ranging from the Palisades Fire in Pacific Palisades to the Eaton Fire in Altadena—have wreaked havoc across the county, with no end in sight.
The ferocity of these flames has been fueled by the perfect storm of drought conditions, low humidity, and the unrelenting Santa Ana winds, which have whipped through the area at speeds of up to 100 miles per hour. In such times of catastrophe, humans naturally take precedence in rescue efforts. Property losses, while devastating, are mitigated by insurance companies, which help survivors rebuild their lives. But amidst the chaos and tragedy, one crucial question remains: What about the animals?
In the midst of the devastation, the images of suffering animals—grieving deer, panicked dogs, horses fleeing the flames—serve as a heart-wrenching reminder of the toll that natural disasters exact on all living creatures. This inferno reminds us that calamity knows no species.
Yet, even as the flames devour land and life, another form of ugliness has emerged—a cold, inhuman glee emanating from certain Islamist extremists who revel in the suffering of Los Angeles. Across social media platforms, especially on X, sadistic voices celebrate this catastrophe, casting it as divine punishment for America’s support of Israel in the ongoing Middle East conflict. For these individuals, steeped in hatred and cruelty, the pain of innocent people and defenseless animals is a spectacle to relish.
Such grotesque expressions of schadenfreude—this perverse delight in human and animal suffering—reflect not only a deep moral decay but a chilling reminder of how hatred can erode empathy. While most of the world grieves with Los Angeles, these extremists stand apart, exulting in disaster and cloaking their joy in the guise of divine retribution.
Schadenfreude Moment Over the LA Inferno
Extremist voices have taken to social media, to exult in the suffering of innocent people. Under the pretense of poetic irony, they attempt to frame this natural disaster as some form of divine retribution.
Afifah Afra, on X, declared with chilling satisfaction, “In 2 days, Los Angeles was destroyed, the loss reached Rp 900 trillion. The destruction is similar to what Israel (with US assistance) did in Gaza for 14 months. The UN predicts that the funds to rebuild Gaza are Rp 500 trillion. This is just the recompense in the world. Not yet in the afterlife.” Similarly, Jackson Hinkle invoked a grotesque comparison, writing, “Imagine if Los Angeles was leveled by bombs instead of wildfires, and citizens could not evacuate. Now, imagine the most powerful governments in the world supported this. That’s Gaza.” Such comments, while attempting to draw attention to geopolitical issues, instead reduce human suffering to a cynical spectacle, erasing the pain of those caught in the flames.
Others, like Aayesha Khan, sought to use the tragedy to promote a narrative of religious supremacy. Sharing a video of the Griffith Observatory standing intact amidst the blaze, she falsely claimed it was a mosque spared by “the might of Allah.” Extremist Kavish Aziz went further, sharing an AI-generated video, smugly commenting, “Gaza was destroyed in a year, but Los Angeles was destroyed within days.” Rabid Islamist Chandani straight crossed into outright celebration of death writing, “After LA, the next will be Tel Aviv. Allah, burn Tel Aviv and instill fear in their hearts.” A Turkish account, Gun Ana, echoed this sentiment, posting, “This is not Gaza; this is Los Angeles, USA. Those who gave missiles to Israel to destroy Gaza are now experiencing destruction firsthand.” Zaihir Majeed callously wrote, “This is not Gaza, Afghanistan, Iraq, or Syria! This is Los Angeles, California. Fire burns where it falls, right? Let’s pray for all innocent souls.”
According to MEMRI’s Jihad and Terrorism Threat Monitor (JTTM), extremist groups like Al-Qaeda, ISIS, and their supporters used the Los Angeles wildfires to spread hateful propaganda. These groups claimed the fires were “Allah’s punishment” for America’s support of Israel. A pro-ISIS writer called it justice for Palestine, while an Al-Qaeda-linked media group told its followers to “enjoy watching America burn.” A Houthi leader mocked the U.S., asking if this was the “hell Trump had warned about,” and Iranian-backed media declared that it was “America’s time to burn.” Meanwhile, a Hamas supporter joked that unlike Gaza, Los Angeles didn’t need bombs to be destroyed.
These posts reveal a dark truth to some, tragedy is not a call for compassion but an opportunity to weaponize suffering for ideological gain.
Also Read: Video of Woman Converting to Islam Unrelated to California Wildfire
Fake News as a Tool for Malicious Glee
For these individuals, steeped in a worldview of bitterness and brutality, the agony of innocent people and the plight of defenseless animals is not a cause for sorrow, but a spectacle to savor. Their posts, often rife with misinformation and malicious distortions, seek not only to propagate falsehoods but to mock the very notion of human empathy. One such example comes from an account under the name Chandni, who shared an old photograph of two women, mockingly remarking, “American citizens should stop crying; Muslims have grown used to such tragedies.” Another user, Zafar, attempted to further this narrative by falsely claiming that in a global superpower like the United States, women were using their purses to extinguish flames. The truth, of course, was far less sensational—it was a canvas bag filled with water, a common fire-fighting tool, being used by civilians to control the blaze.
Rizwan Haider contributed to this campaign of disinformation by sharing a video of a plane crash in Chile from a year ago, deceitfully portraying it as recent footage from California’s fires. Asfaq, in another display of callous distortion, circulated a video dating back to 2017, cynically commenting, “Imagine how much they care about a rabbit, yet their country, America, along with Israel, burned thousands of innocent children alive with bombs.” Shiju Nawaz went a step further, posting a video from Brazil while falsely claiming it depicted the ongoing devastation in California.
Why Are Islamists Celebrating the LA Wildfire?
What we are witnessing is a deeply troubling trend—the rise of Islamist voices on social media acting as fervent cheerleaders for Hamas, Hezbollah, and Iran. Under the guise of solidarity with Palestinians, these accounts promote a far more sinister agenda: the endorsement of terrorism, the glorification of violence, and the propagation of anti-Semitism. What they truly support became evident in the horrific events of October 7, when 1,200 innocent Israelis were massacred, and 251 others, including teenagers, women, and the elderly, were mercilessly abducted. Even now, after the devastation wrought on both sides, Hamas continues to hold 117 captives, refusing to release them despite international pleas.
Meanwhile, Gaza has been reduced to rubble, and Beirut bears its own scars of conflict. Over 46,000 people have perished in Gaza, yet these social media extremists remain unmoved by the human toll. They show no interest in ending the war or securing the release of innocent hostages. Instead, they seem disturbingly willing to accept the mounting deaths of Palestinians, prioritizing their ideological stance over the value of human life.
This same callousness manifests in their response to the wildfires in Los Angeles. Just as they celebrated the brutal killing of 1,200 Israelis on that fateful October morning, they now revel in the destruction wrought by nature, showing no regard for the suffering of innocent civilians or even the helpless animals caught in the inferno. Their perverse delight in tragedy is not born of a desire for justice but of a deep-rooted fanaticism that disregards humanity itself.
These voices, with their unyielding appetite for conflict, care little for peace or the preservation of life. They are not concerned with how many more lives are lost in the Middle East or elsewhere, nor do they seek an end to the bloodshed. What they crave is perpetual chaos, fueled by hatred and driven by a worldview where suffering is not to be mourned but celebrated. This is not solidarity—it is a grotesque spectacle of cruelty masquerading as righteousness.
Hollywood Support for Gaza: Met with Hypocrisy as Extremists Celebrate California Fire
What is perhaps most surprising—and deeply disturbing—is how these Islamist extremists, in their campaign of hatred, have chosen to target innocent civilians, particularly those in California. If their grievance lies with U.S. foreign policy, why, then, do they direct their animosity toward ordinary people? Even more baffling is their fixation on Californians, especially residents of Hollywood—a region that has historically stood in solidarity with the Palestinian cause. For example, Paris Hilton, who lost her home in the LA wildfire, has consistently shown sympathy and solidarity with the Palestinian people. Similarly, Academy Award winner Anthony Hopkins, whose home was also destroyed in the fire, has publicly called for a ceasefire in the ongoing Gaza conflict
California has long been at the forefront of calls for peace in the Middle East. Governor Gavin Newsom has repeatedly advocated for a Gaza ceasefire. Polls show that over 40% of Californians support a ceasefire to end the ongoing bloodshed. Leaders like Barbara Lee, a prominent California Democrat, have focused on diplomacy, urging the U.S. government to press for both the release of hostages and humanitarian aid to Gaza. San Francisco recently passed a resolution condemning both Hamas and the Israeli government while emphasizing the urgent need for a prolonged ceasefire. Even the slogan “Vote Ceasefire” emerged as a rallying cry from California’s communities.
Yet despite these significant efforts toward peace, these extremists revel in the tragedy striking the very people who have shown empathy for their cause. Their sadistic celebration of destruction—of lives lost, homes reduced to ashes, and nature devoured by flames—reveals a troubling truth: this isn’t about justice or policy. It’s about indulging in the spectacle of suffering, driven by a fanatical lust for chaos and bloodshed.
X Enables Islamists to Spread Hatred and Misinformation
India, the world’s most populous nation with a vast and ever-growing base of internet users, has become a hotbed for the spread of misinformation and hate speech across digital platforms. Among the myriad of social media spaces—Facebook, WhatsApp, and X (formerly Twitter)—it is X that has emerged as the primary breeding ground for the rapid dissemination of hatred and false narratives.
In the United States, the wildfire crisis has served as a stark example of how misinformation, amplified by unchecked online discourse, can reach millions without any significant oversight. Despite the clear dangers posed by false information, no meaningful controls have been put in place to curb its spread.
Before Elon Musk’s acquisition of X in 2022, the platform had a more proactive approach to content moderation. Accounts sharing inappropriate or false information were frequently flagged, warned, and, when necessary, suspended. However, under the new regime, the dynamics have shifted dramatically. Instead of being curbed, such accounts now find themselves amplified—especially those adorned with the coveted blue checkmark, often associated with X’s revenue-sharing program. Many believe this monetization strategy has inadvertently incentivized the proliferation of fake news, with users exploiting the platform’s reach for financial gain.
For Reader: In times of tragedy, celebrating human suffering regardless of political beliefs shows a deep loss of humanity. The devastation caused by the California wildfires, which has claimed lives, displaced millions, and destroyed countless homes is met by hatred. Justifying this pain as a response to geopolitical conflicts and the spread of fake news on social media while celebrating death diminishes humanity. If we lose our sense of empathy, we risk losing the very essence of what it means to be human.
