A former City of Ottawa lawyer has pleaded guilty to mischief to a war memorial after red graffiti was painted on the National Holocaust Monument earlier this summer.
The incident occurred around 3 a.m. on June 9, when the words “feed me” were scrawled across the side of the monument located just west of downtown Ottawa. Surveillance footage captured the accused, Iain Aspenlieder, arriving on a bicycle, throwing paint, and defacing the monument before quickly leaving. The vandalism was swiftly removed but drew sharp criticism from residents, Jewish organizations, and politicians.
Aspenlieder was formally charged on June 27 with three counts: mischief to a war memorial, mischief over $5,000, and harassment by threatening conduct. As part of a plea agreement, he admitted guilt to the first charge, while the other two will be withdrawn.
The Crown has agreed to his release on bail ahead of sentencing, scheduled for September 3.
Aspenlieder’s lawyer, Michael Spratt, issued a statement explaining the motive behind the act. He emphasized that the action was not fueled by hate but by a deep concern over the humanitarian crisis in Gaza.
“There is an undeniable humanitarian crisis unfolding,” Spratt said. “While his actions were unlawful, they were intended to highlight human suffering—not to offend or incite hatred.”
Aspenlieder had worked as legal counsel for the City of Ottawa but was on leave at the time of the incident. Mayor Mark Sutcliffe confirmed in late June that Aspenlieder was no longer employed by the city.
The National Holocaust Monument honors the six million Jews killed in the Holocaust, along with millions of other victims of Nazi atrocities. It was inaugurated by then-Prime Minister Justin Trudeau in 2017.
