Ottawa·NewCrown prosecutors want the former City of Ottawa lawyer who defaced the National Holocaust Monument with blood-red paint in June to spend two years in jail for his crime, while the defence is calling for a suspended sentence. And in an unrepentant address to the court, Iain Aspenlieder said he understands he caused pain, but that it was an “unavoidable consequence” of his bid to shock Canadians out of complacency about what he calls the ongoing genocide in Gaza.Iain Aspenlieder says pain he caused was ‘unavoidable consequence’ of his planKristy Nease · CBC News · Posted: Dec 01, 2025 9:54 AM EST | Last Updated: 6 minutes agoListen to this articleEstimated 5 minutesThe audio version of this article is generated by text-to-speech, a technology based on artificial intelligence.Court hears sentencing submissions for man who defaced the National Holocaust MonumentIain Aspenlieder pleaded guilty to mischief after defacing the monument in June. The Crown is asking for a jail sentence of two years with credit for time served and three years of probation.The defence wants a suspended sentence taking into account the time he’s already served, and one year of probation.Crown prosecutors want the former City of Ottawa lawyer who defaced the National Holocaust Monument with blood-red paint last summer to spend two years in jail for his crime, while the defence is calling for a suspended sentence factoring in the time he already served in jail and on bail.The defendant himself also spoke in Superior Court on Monday about why he committed the high-profile defacement, in terms the judge called “unrepentant.”Iain Aspenlieder, 46, said he knows his actions hurt people but that it was an “unavoidable consequence” of his bid to “shock Canadians out of our complicity” in what he called the ongoing genocide in Gaza by Israel.Aspenlieder said he also believes the millions of Jews and others commemorated by the monument “would not be offended by me invoking them today and saying there’s a genocide now.”In an unusual move, Aspenlieder asked to be taken back into custody while the judge decides what sentence to hand down because he “doesn’t want his parents to see him go through this,” his lawyer told court.Aspenlieder, seen here during an appearence in July, will be back in court Friday, when a date for his sentencing decision is expected to be set. (Lauren Foster-MacLeod)Aspenlieder pleaded guilty in July to commiting mischief to the war memorial in June. This is the first time a sentence is being issued for this particular offence in the criminal code. Acting Deputy Crown attorney Moiz Karimjee argued that while Aspenlieder is a first-time offender, he is also an educated lawyer who knows about anti-Semitism but still decided to cause harm to the Jewish community — justifying “a significant sentence.””When you have various community groups indicating to the court how they perceive the act to be, given the symbols that were used, the location chosen, he is clearly engaged in a collective blaming of the Jewish people [for actions undertaken abroad by Israel] and those perceptions by the community are reasonable,” Karimjee said.’Murderous symbolism’Court heard from a number of Jewish and other community groups about the negative impacts of the vandalism. Defence lawyer Michael Spratt said he believes some of the statements contain content that’s not typically allowed but that he was specifically instructed by Aspenlieder not to object to any of it.Several of the organizations said the red handprint on the curb caused particular anguish because it evokes a widely-publicized image from 2000 of a Palestinian man raising his hands — soaked in the blood of two murdered Israeli reservists — in celebration of their killing. When the educated engage in antisemitism, they lend it a veneer of legitimacy.- Russel Molot, speaking for the Canadian Antisemitism Education Foundation”The imprint of Mr. Aspenlieder’s hand in red paint reinforces the deep pain, fear and lack of security felt by the Jewish community as one of its sacred sites was vandalized through what is regarded as murderous symbolism,” said Janice LaForme of the Alliance of Canadians Combatting Antisemitism.”Since Oct. 7, I have seen the red hand painted, posted and paraded through our streets and communities. I find it disturbing. But it particularly troubles me to see a red hand left at our National Holocaust Monument,” added Harry LaForme, an Anishnaabe lawyer, in his own impact statement.The Parliament buildings tower in the background of the monument. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)’They disguise hatred as discourse’Russel Molot, a lawyer speaking for the Canadian Antisemitism Education Foundation, said the vandalism highlights that antisemitism “is once again a problem of the educated” and that’s “what makes it so insidious.”When the educated engage in antisemitism, they lend it a veneer of legitimacy …. They disguise hatred as discourse, or prejudice as principle, and in doing so they corrode the very values that education is meant to advance,” Molot said. Speaking on behalf of the Centre For Holocaust Education and Scholarship, Marion Silver said the crime took place three days before the launch of a government-funded smartphone program to guide people through the monument and inform them of the history behind it.”As a direct impact of the vandalism, [the centre] was overwhelmed with immediate calls from registered participants to the IWalk app launch, out of real concern for their safety,” Silver said.The centre pushed ahead instead of “capitulating to a perceived threat of intimidation,” but despite the Canadian War Museum deploying all its senior security staff, as well as extra security from Ottawa police, “25 per cent of our registered guests chose not to attend the launch event out of fear,” Silver said. The words ‘FEED ME’ are seen painted in red on the National Holocaust Monument in Ottawa on Monday, June 9, 2025. (Sean Kilpatrick/The Canadian Press)Apsenlieder’s actions ‘will follow him forever’The defence is asking for a suspended sentence accounting for time already served in jail and under strict bail conditions.Spratt argued Aspenlieder has already faced significant collateral impacts: his termination as a city lawyer, the adminstrative suspension of his licence to practise law and possible revocation of that licence, as well as the notoriety of the case that “will follow him forever.”Spratt also argued the Crown hasn’t proven Aspenlieder was motivated by hate, bias or prejudice beyond a reasonable doubt. He said it’s equally possible that Aspenlieder — who had been on a hunger strike — was motivated by the starvation, misery and humanitarian crisis.He also said he expects that Aspenlieder “doesn’t fully grasp the impact” his actions caused and that his insight isn’t at the level the court would expect, but added that’s “often the case” at the sentencing stage.Aspenlieder will be back in court Friday, when it’s expected a date will be set for Justice Anne London-Weinstein to announce her decision. ABOUT THE AUTHORCBC Ottawa senior writer Kristy Nease has covered news in the capital for 16 years, and previously worked at the Ottawa Citizen. She has handled topics including intimate partner violence, climate and health care, and is currently focused on the courts and judicial affairs for all platforms. Get in touch: kristy.nease@cbc.ca, or 613-288-6435. Worried? Try kristyneasecbc@proton.me instead.Selected stories.Follow her on X.
Crown seeks 2-year sentence for ex-city lawyer who defaced Holocaust monument
