Ottawa, ON – A former City of Ottawa lawyer, Iain Aspenlieder, has pleaded guilty to mischief to a war memorial in connection with the June 9 vandalism of the National Holocaust Monument. The incident, which saw the words “feed me” painted on the monument and red paint splashed across its surface, drew widespread condemnation from residents, Jewish groups, and Canadian political leaders.
Aspenlieder’s plea was entered on Friday, and he has been released on bail pending his sentencing hearing, which is scheduled for September 3. While originally facing charges of mischief to a war memorial, mischief exceeding $5,000, and harassment by threatening conduct, the latter two charges are expected to be withdrawn.
Evidence Noted
According to an agreed statement of facts presented in court, surveillance footage from the National Capital Commission captured Aspenlieder arriving at the monument on a bicycle at 2:59 a.m. on June 9. The footage showed him carrying red bags, throwing paint on the monument, and using a paintbrush to scrawl “feed me” before leaving the scene at 3:08 a.m.
Authorities did not initially release Aspenlieder’s name, but he was identified through court documents. Records from the Ontario Salary Disclosure list confirmed he was employed as a “Legal Counsel” with the City of Ottawa. Following the incident, Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe confirmed in late June that Aspenlieder had been fired.
Aspenlieder Fired and Law License Suspended
“The city’s legal department has confirmed that the individual charged, who was on leave at the time of the incident, is no longer employed by the City of Ottawa,” Mayor Sutcliffe stated on social media.
According to the Law Society of Ontario, Aspenlieder is currently suspended administratively, meaning he is not permitted to practise law and/or provide legal services.
Misleading Claims
Aspenlieder’s lawyer claimed he committed the vandalism to blame Israel for “starving Gaza children,” but recent evidence has called into question the veracity of those types of claims. Starving palestinian children often appear with obese mothers, raising the question of deliberate child abuse for propaganda purposes. Islamists and their sympathizers are famous for the use of misleading and fabricated material for propaganda purposes and for rallying hatred against Israel.
Lawrence Greenspon, an Ottawa lawyer and co-chair of the National Holocaust Committee, praised the swift and thorough response by law enforcement. “We are very thankful for the way in which the police did their investigation and then a very, very serious prosecution was undertaken, and it’s resulted in a plea of guilty and in a relatively short period of time,” Greenspon said.
Hate Crimes Unit Investigated
Further details emerging from court proceedings reveal that the vandalism was investigated by Ottawa Police’s hate-crimes and bias unit. Officers discovered surveillance footage showing Aspenlieder purchasing three cans of red paint the day before the incident from an Ottawa hardware store. When arrested at his home on June 27, he was reportedly wearing a shirt with red paint on it and, according to court documents, told police, “I am wearing incriminating evidence.” Police also seized a backpack with a palestinian flag, a cap decorated with flowers, and running shoes, all bearing traces of red paint.
Aspenlieder was previously denied bail after telling the court he was on a hunger strike, which has since ended. His release on bail Friday comes with strict conditions, including confinement to his parents’ property, a prohibition from participating in protests, and restrictions on accessing social media or discussing the situation in Gaza – a topic the court heard he is preoccupied by and which could act as a trigger.
Despite denying mental-health issues, his client, according to Mr. Spratt, has “accepted responsibility for his actions.”
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs issued a statement Friday expressing satisfaction with the prompt actions of the Ottawa Police’s hate-crimes unit in response to the monument’s desecration. The centre emphasized that the “defacement of the National Holocaust Monument was not just vile – it echoed the hatred that led to history’s greatest crime.”
The National Holocaust Monument, inaugurated by former prime minister Justin Trudeau in September 2017, serves as a poignant reminder and commemoration of the six million Jewish men, women, and children murdered during the Holocaust by the Nazis, along with millions of other victims of Nazi Germany and its collaborators. The situation in Gaza has little to do with the events of the Holocaust.
