Man receives suspended sentence for defacing National Holocaust Monument

OTTAWA — A man who pleaded guilty after defacing Canada’s National Holocaust Monument has received a suspended sentence and two years of probation.

His lawyer says Iain Aspenlieder received credit for his time in custody and partial credit for some of the bail conditions he was under.

Michael Spratt says the probation conditions stipulate his client must not possess any weapons and must not attend the Holocaust memorial, or any Jewish place of worship, school or community centre.

Aspenlieder, formerly a lawyer for the City of Ottawa, pleaded guilty in July to one count of mischief.

On June 9, the words “FEED ME” were found scrawled in red paint across the face of the monument in downtown Ottawa, and red paint was also found splashed on other portions of the structure.

According to the agreed statement of facts, Aspenlieder was seen on surveillance recordings arriving at the monument just before 3 a.m. on a bicycle, carrying red bags and throwing paint on the monument.

This report by The Canadian Press was first published Jan. 7, 2026.

– With files from Catherine Morrison

Anja Karadeglija, The Canadian Press