A former City of Ottawa lawyer who vandalized Canada’s National Holocaust Monument has received a suspended sentence and two years of probation after pleading guilty to the attack, The Ottawa Citizen reported.
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 ordered released from custody.
The charges stem from the early hours of June 9, when Aspenlieder defaced the National Holocaust Monument with the words “FEED ME" in red paint.
Crown attorney Moiz Karimjee had originally sought a two‑year sentence with credit for time served, followed by three years of probation. At a hearing last December, he told the court that Aspenlieder’s actions harmed the Jewish community in Ottawa and across Canada by blaming them for the Israel‑Palestinian Arab conflict. Karimjee argued that Aspenlieder had numerous lawful avenues to express opposition to the conflict, noting that no one is barred from criticizing Israel’s actions.
Defense lawyer Michael Spratt agreed that Aspenlieder should be punished and receive a criminal record, but argued the Crown had not proven beyond a reasonable doubt that the vandalism was hate‑motivated.
In her ruling delivered Wednesday, Superior Court Justice Anne London‑Weinstein said the Crown had not proven beyond a reasonable doubt that Aspenlieder acted out of hate. However, she found that he knew his actions would harm and traumatize the Jewish community, and that he was even proud of what he had done.
She warned that his conduct left all Canadians vulnerable to mob mentality, undermining the stability of the country’s democracy and democratic values. Given Aspenlieder’s background as a lawyer, she said he should have known better.
The judge cited Aspenlieder’s mental health as a mitigating factor, noting that he had been hospitalized for assessment before the vandalism and that his mother had previously contacted police out of concern for his well‑being. She also pointed to significant collateral consequences, including potential permanent damage to his career and the loss of custody of his children.
“Mr. Aspenlieder is a first‑time offender. As a first‑time offender receiving a sentence of imprisonment, his sentence should be as short as possible and tailored to the individual circumstances of the accused, rather than used solely for the purposes of general deterrence," she said.
The ruling drew mixed reactions from Jewish organizations.
Richard Marceau, senior vice‑president of strategic initiatives and general counsel for the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA), said he was disappointed that the sentence did not reflect the gravity of the impact on the Jewish community.
“It’s said that the Holocaust did not begin with gas chambers or death marches; it began with hateful propaganda, dehumanization, and violent mobs on the streets…. Yet this deliberate act of desecration reminds us that the same forces of rhetoric, radicalization, and violent extremism are resurfacing, and we must confront them with vigilance and resolve," Marceau wrote.
“We are deeply disappointed that today’s sentence, delivered just three weeks before International Holocaust Remembrance Day, does not reflect the gravity of what is indeed a hateful act and its impact on the Jewish community, not only in Ottawa but across Canada."
“Holding perpetrators accountable is essential to protecting the dignity of victims and safeguarding the values that unite us as Canadians."
B’nai Brith Canada also criticized the ruling, saying the court failed to recognize the hateful motivations behind the vandalism.
“How can you intentionally target the National Holocaust Monument without being motivated by hatred?" asked Richard Robertson, B’nai Brith Canada’s Director of Research and Advocacy. “Aspenlieder chose to target the Holocaust monument because he knew it would traumatize the Jewish community, demonstrating clear antisemitic motivations."
“This sentence brings into question the sanctity of Canada’s Holocaust monument and the memory of the victims and survivors of the Shoah."
“Collectively punishing Jews for a foreign nation’s policies is antisemitism," said Simon Wolle, B’nai Brith Canada’s Chief Executive Officer. “Canadian Jews are not responsible for events in the Middle East. Aspenlieder’s behaviour illustrates the degree to which antisemitic attitudes have become normalized in our society."