Man, 46, charged in National Holocaust Monument vandalism
Man, 46, charged in National Holocaust Monument vandalism
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A 46-year-old man faces a number of charges after the National Holocaust Memorial was vandalized with red paint on June 9.
Iain Aspenlieder has been charged with mischief to a war monument, mischief exceeding $5,000 and harassment by threatening conduct.
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He appeared in court on Saturday for a bail hearing. A decision is scheduled for Wednesday, July 2.
The monument, located at 1918 Chaudière Crossing, was sprayed with the words “FEED ME” in large block letters on the side adjacent to Wellington Street. Red paint was also sprayed along the building’s facade.
The monument was opened in 2017 and commemorates the extermination of six million Jews who were killed in the Second World War.
In 2014, the Criminal Code was amended to add the charge of mischief to a war memorial.
The definition applies to a property “that primarily serves as a monument to honour persons who were killed or died as a consequence of a war, including a war memorial or cenotaph, or an object associated with honouring or remembering those persons that is located in or on the grounds of such a building or structure, or a cemetery.”
If the offence is prosecuted by indictment, it is punishable by up to 10 years in prison. If the offence is punishable on summary conviction, it may lead to a sentence of up to 18 months.
The Ottawa police hate and bias crime unit is leading the investigation and urges anyone with information to contact their tip line at 613-236-1222, extension 5625.
“The OPS treats incidents of this nature seriously and recognizes their profound impact on the community,” said Ottawa police in a statement.
“We encourage anyone who witnesses or experiences such incidents to report them to police. Reporting hate-motivated incidents is an important step in stopping cycles of hatred.”
Anonymous tips can be submitted by calling Crime Stoppers toll-free at 1-800-222-8477(TIPS).
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