An Ottawa man is facing charges after the National Holocaust Monument was vandalized earlier this month. Red paint was discovered on the monument along the Kichi Zibi Mikan, just west of downtown Ottawa, on June 9. A photo sent to CTV News Ottawa showed the words “Feed Me” painted in large red letters on the monument. The Ottawa Police Service announced late Friday afternoon a 46-year-old man is facing charges of mischief to a war memorial, mischief exceeding $5,000 and harassment by threatening conduct. The man is scheduled to appear in court on Saturday. National Capital Commission crews quickly removed the red paint after it was discovered on the National Holocaust Monument in the early morning. “We were disgusted to learn that the National Holocaust Monument was defaced overnight,” Adam Silver, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Ottawa, said in a statement posted on Facebook on June 9. “This is not just vandalism; it is an act of desecration against the memory of six million Jews and millions of other victims murdered in the Holocaust. It is an attack on Holocaust remembrance and on the dignity of survivors, their families, and our entire community.” Silver credited authorities for their “swift response,” adding the federation called for those responsible “to be identified and held accountable.” The Ottawa Police Service told CTV News Ottawa, at the time, it is “aware of the incident and is investigating” the incident. “The OPS treats incidents of this nature seriously and recognizes the profound impact they have on the community,” police said in a statement on June 9. “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.” Mayor Mark Sutcliffe said “it’s shocking and disturbing” to see the memorial defaced. “The National Holocaust Memorial is a solemn and sacred place in Ottawa designed to honour the millions of innocent people who were murdered under the Nazi regime and to recognize the significant contributions of Holocaust survivors in Canada,” Sutcliffe said on X. “Protests and demonstrations are an essential part of our democracy. Disfiguring a sacred monument in a way that will traumatize victims, survivors and their families is not. I am reaching out to Ottawa’s Jewish community and other faith leaders, and to the Ottawa Police Service. Let’s continue to unite together as a community to fight against hatred in all its forms.” Prime Minister Mark Carney also commented on social media, calling the vandalism “reprehensible.” When CTV News Ottawa cameras arrived at the monument shortly after 9 a.m. on June 9, tarps covered some of the graffiti and National Capital Commission crews were cleaning the monument. Three red paint cans remained at the monument. “A disgusting and cowardly act — Canada’s National Holocaust Monument was defaced overnight,” Melissa Lantsman, Conservative MP and Deputy Leader, said on X. “Parliament is just steps away — that’s where dissent belongs. Defacing sacred ground in honour of the millions of victims of the Holocaust in the middle of the night with spray paint isn’t protest, it’s vandalism. Someone this pathetic deserves to be identified and held accountable.” Foreign Affairs Minister Anita Anand called the vandalism “shameful and hateful.” “This sacred space honours the six million Jews murdered during the Holocaust and the strength of survivors who endured unimaginable horrors,” Anand said on X. “Antisemitism, hatred, and intolerance have no place in Canada. Those responsible must be held accountable.” Ottawa Centre Liberal MP Yasir Naqvi responded to CTV News Ottawa’s story about the paint on the National Holocaust Monument. “A disgraceful, antisemitic act of vandalism. The National Holocaust Monument honours the memory of six million Jews and all victims of Nazi atrocities,” Naqvi said on X. “Defacing it is not protest—it is hate, and I condemn it.” Premier Doug Ford commented, saying, “This disgusting and antisemitic act of vandalism is an attack on the memory and dignity of victims and survivors of the Holocaust and must not be tolerated.” “The investigation into a hate crime by the Ottawa Police should bring swift justice,” Ford said on X. Conservative Party leader Pierre Poilievre said, “The antisemitic thugs who vandalized the National Holocaust Monument in Ottawa should be caught and locked up for this crime.” “We must empower authorities to stop antisemitic lawbreakers and make Canada safe for all.” According to the National Holocaust Monument website, the monument in Ottawa commemorates the six million Jewish men, women and children murdered during the Holocaust, and the millions of other victims of Nazi Germany and its collaborators. The monument was inaugurated by former prime minister Justin Trudeau in September 2017. The Ottawa Police Service says anyone with information is asked to contact the Hate and Bias Crime Unit at 613-236-1222, ext. 5625.
