A racist arson attack in Trump-era Texas should’ve torn this town apart—what happened next made national news… and will make you believe in people again.
This three-part docuseries is an emotional x-ray of post-9/11 America through one town’s test of character.
Thanks to the IDA Documentary newsletter for flagging this one.
Trailer for “A Town Called Victoria”
You Can’t Make This Sh*t Up
- When the mosque was destroyed, members of a nearby synagogue offered their keys so Muslims would have a place to pray.
Watch “A Town Called Victoria”
You can stream “A Town Called Victoria” on Amazon here.
Additional streaming options may be listed at JustWatch.
Ratings:
- My Rating: 90/100
- IMDB Rating: 9.1/10
- Rotten Tomatoes Rating: not yet rated
Director’s Note: The docuseries was created by Li Lu, a Chinese-American filmmaker. She originally went to Victoria for a short doc, but stayed for five years after realizing the depth of the story.
Release Date: October 2023 (PBS); Available on streaming platforms starting late 2023
My Review of “A Town Called Victoria”
The Setup
On January 28, 2017, at 2:08 a.m., an arsonist set fire to the only mosque in Victoria, Texas. The Islamic Center burned to the ground. What happened next could’ve been more hatred and blame—but instead, the town’s people stepped up in unexpected ways.
Through quiet conversations and emotional confrontations, we see Muslim leaders like Dr. Shahid Hashmi and local residents—some conservative, some skeptical—reexamine what community actually means.
More Highlights from the Doc
- The arsonist, a local man named Marq Vincent Perez, was known to some in town. He had previously harassed the mosque—and was ultimately convicted in federal court, not for hate crimes, but for explosives charges and arson.
- The film shows how local journalists helped shift the town’s narrative—from fear and rumor to accountability and understanding.
- We see Omar Rachid and Abe Ajrami, members of the mosque, engaging in emotionally raw conversations with townspeople who had voted for Trump or previously held anti-Muslim views.
- One powerful subplot involves a town council meeting where residents clash over whether to label the fire a hate crime—highlighting how politics and language shape public memory.
- The director herself becomes part of the story, slowly gaining trust over years and being allowed into homes and meetings that outsiders typically never see.
- Dr. Hashmi, the mosque’s co-founder, chose to stay in Victoria and lead the rebuild—despite the fact that his life’s work had literally gone up in flames.
Cameos
- Community leaders like the town’s rabbi and local pastors offer some of the doc’s most powerful lines—quietly challenging their congregations to stand with their Muslim neighbors.
- Footage includes town council members and former mayor Paul Polasek, giving a glimpse into how small-town politics grapple with national issues.
Lesser-Known Details from the Doc
- Filming began just weeks after the fire and continued for over five years, allowing the series to capture the full arc of the town’s response, trial, and rebuilding.
- Dr. Hashmi chose not to press civil charges against the arsonist’s family, saying that healing the town was more important than revenge.
- The rebuilt mosque was designed with the help of local architects and funded partly by Christians, Jews, and even agnostics in the area who just wanted to help.
Wrap Up
“A Town Called Victoria” shows that even in today’s polarized world, a community can choose unity over division. It’s one of the most hopeful post-2016 political docs I’ve seen.
Thanks for reading!
Heather Fenty, Guest Writer, Daily Doc