OTTAWA, ON – Multiple media outlets are reporting that the man charged with allegedly vandalizing the Holocaust Memorial is a lawyer with the City of Ottawa. Charges were first announced shortly after the incident on June 9th, 2025, and the accused is Iain Aspenlieder, who is named on the Sunshine List as legal counsel with the City of Ottawa, with a reported annual income of $148,246 as of 2024.
The Holocaust Memorial is a national monument was built in 2017 to commemorate the more than 6 million Jewish people who were systematically tortured and murdered during WWII by the Nazi regime, with particularly disturbing acts including the live removal of civilians’ teeth, fingers, and organs without anaesthesia, medical experiments on living humans, and the burning of children and babies alive in front of their starving parents.
In 2014 the Canadian Criminal Code – the country’s crime legislation that Iain Aspenlieder would be familiar with – was updated to add the charge of mischief to a war memorial to deal with such crimes, which applies to war memorials throughout the country. Aspenlieder is reportedly charged with:
- Mischief to a war memorial;
- Mischief exceeding $5,000, and
- Harassment by threatening conduct.
He appeared in court on July 29th for a bail hearing, and remains in custody pending the outcome of that application, which is scheduled for Wednesday, July 2nd, 2025.
In an X on Saturday evening, Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said the incident was “shocking and disturbing,” and while it was encouraging to see that the investigation into the vandalism has progressed, he was “very disturbed to learn that the person charged is a city employee who was on leave. As a community and as an employer, the actions at the Monument do not represent our values.”
Sutcliffe has tasked city officials to “take all appropriate action in light of these developments.”
A statement by city solicitor Stuart Huxley confirmed that Aspenlieder was on leave when the crime was allegedly committed. “The City is reviewing the charges and will be swiftly undertaking all appropriate action given the situation,” said Huxley.
“The recent act affecting the National Holocaust monument was deplorable and is counter to the values we seek to uphold in our community. We extend our deepest sympathies to members of our community impacted by this disgraceful act.”
The Ottawa hate crime unit is investigating and asks anyone with information to contact their tip line at 613-236-1222, extension 5625.
