Canadian Jewish orgs ‘disappointed’ by light sentence for defacer of Holocaust monument

Canadian Jewish organizations say they are disappointed by the light sentence given to a man who vandalized the National Holocaust Monument in Ottawa, Canada, last summer.

In July, 46-year-old Iain Aspenlieder pled guilty to defacing the monument by painting the words “FEED ME” on it in blood-red paint.

He was sentenced today to five months of time already served, as well as two years of probation when he may not approach Jewish or Israeli institutions and is prohibited from possessing firearms.

Justice Anne London-Weinstein ruled that the vandalism was not motivated by hatred, despite its clear impact on the Jewish community.

Former City of Ottawa lawyer sentenced for defacing Holocaust Memorial https://t.co/tZURlcl0Ks pic.twitter.com/shl61uHN2l

— Ottawa Citizen (@OttawaCitizen) January 7, 2026

Following the sentencing, the Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs says: “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,” the organization adds.

The Canadian-based Friends of Simon Wiesenthal Center (FSWC) also says it is “deeply disappointed” that the penalty amounted only to time already served, with no additional jail time imposed.

“At a time when antisemitic incidents are rising across Canada, this minimal sentence sends the wrong message — that even the desecration of a national Holocaust memorial can be met without meaningful consequences,” says FSWC senior director of policy and advocacy Jaime Kirzner-Roberts.