BURST
The 46-year-old man who faces a number of charges after the National Holocaust Memorial was vandalized with red paint on June 9 is an Ottawa city lawyer on leave.
Iain Aspenlieder has been charged with mischief to a war monument, mischief exceeding $5,000 and harassment by threatening conduct.
Aspenlieder is listed in Ontario’s Sunshine List as a legal counsel with the City of Ottawa with a salary of $148,246.65 as of 2024.
He appeared in court on Saturday for a bail hearing. A decision is scheduled for Wednesday, July 2.
In a post on X on Saturday evening, Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said while it was encouraging to see that the police investigation into the incident has progressed, he was “very disturbed to learn that the person charged is a city employee who was on leave. As a community and as an employer, the actions at the Monument do not represent our values.”
Sutcliffe thanked police and added that he has asked city officials to “take all appropriate action in light of these developments.”
A statement attributed to interim city solicitor Stuart Huxley confirmed that Aspenlieder was on leave at the time of the incident.
“The City is reviewing the charges and will be swiftly undertaking all appropriate action given the situation,” said Huxley.
“The recent act affecting the National Holocaust monument was deplorable and is counter to the values we seek to uphold in our community. We extend our deepest sympathies to members of our community impacted by this disgraceful act.”
As the matter is the subject of a police investigation and is before the courts, the city will provide no further comment, said Huxley.
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.”
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).