A
former City of Ottawa lawyer
was given a suspended sentence and two years of probation after he
pleaded guilty
to vandalizing the National Holocaust Monument last year.
Iain Aspenlieder was arrested on June 27, 2025 and charged with mischief to a war monument, mischief exceeding $5,000 and harassment by threatening conduct. He was sentenced Wednesday to 152 days of time served, and will be released from custody.
The charges came after he
defaced the memorial with the words “FEED ME”
in red paint in the early hours of June 9 last year.
Crown attorney Moiz Karimjee originally proposed a two-year sentence with credit for time served, followed by three years of probation. He told the court at a hearing last December that Aspenlieder’s actions harmed the Jewish community in Ottawa and Canada by blaming them for the Israel-Palestinian conflict.
Karimjee also argued that Aspenlieder had many lawful avenues at his disposal to protest against the conflict, especially since no one is banned from criticizing Israel’s actions in the region.
Defence lawyer Michael Spratt said Aspenlieder should be punished and given a criminal record, but argued that the Crown didn’t prove beyond a reasonable doubt that Aspenlieder had hate-motivated intentions.
Late last year, the court heard victim impact statements from several Jewish community members who outlined the widespread fear and pain they felt when they woke up to the news.
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