Ottawa – In a shocking act of antisemitic desecration, Ottawa’s National Holocaust Monument was vandalized overnight with red paint and the words “FEED ME” scrawled across its stone walls. The monument, which stands as a solemn tribute to the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust and millions of other victims of Nazi barbarism, was discovered defaced early Monday morning, just steps from Parliament Hill.
This was not a random act of vandalism. The timing, symbolism, and choice of words, widely interpreted as a reference to Gaza, make it clear: anti-Israel protestors are now targeting the very memory of the Holocaust to advance their agenda, crossing every moral and civic red line. The attack comes amid a surge in antisemitic incidents across Canada since October 7, when Hamas terrorists slaughtered 1,200 Israelis in the worst massacre of Jews since the Shoah.
Jewish leaders, politicians, and community organizations responded with outrage and sorrow. Adam Silver, President and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Ottawa, called the act “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.”
Israeli Ambassador to Canada Iddo Moed was unequivocal: “This is pure hate against Jews. What we see…is a renewed, modern version of the same hate against Jews and against people who just live their own lives. This hate must be eradicated. This must stop.”
Prime Minister Mark Carney also issued a statement, declaring he was “appalled” by the crime and calling the defacing of the monument “reprehensible.” He emphasized the site’s importance as a place of mourning and remembrance for the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust and millions of other victims of Nazi Germany.
Carney further addressed the broader context of rising antisemitism in Canada, stating, “We can’t look away from this hate, or from the rise in antisemitism we’ve seen in Canada since. We will fight to protect Jewish communities at home, and advocate for long-term peace and security in the Middle East.”
The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs (CIJA) stressed the gravity of the act: “Since Oct. 7, Canada’s Jewish community has been under siege. Too often, we’re told this isn’t about Jews. It’s about Israel. But this? This doesn’t feel like it’s about Israel.”
Ottawa Mayor Mark Sutcliffe condemned the desecration, stating, “It’s shocking and disturbing to see it defaced today. 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.” Area MP Yasir Naqvi called it “a disgraceful, antisemitic act of vandalism.” Deborah Lyons, Canada’s special envoy on Holocaust remembrance and combating antisemitism, declared, “Vandalizing the monument does nothing to bring peace to the Middle East. It is an act of vile antisemitism and a hate crime. Full stop.”
Conservative Deputy Leader Melissa Lantsman described the incident as a “disgusting and cowardly act,” adding, “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.”
Lawrence Greenspon, co-chair of the National Holocaust Monument Committee, said the vandalism made him “feel sick,” calling it “the ultimate act of hatred at the National Holocaust Memorial.” He emphasized the urgent need for Canada’s leaders. including Prime Minister Mark Carney, to recognize and address the alarming rise in antisemitism.
The Ottawa Police Service’s hate and bias crime unit is investigating, and city crews moved quickly to clean the site. Authorities have confirmed there are cameras in the area and have pledged to identify and prosecute those responsible.
This desecration is not an isolated incident. Statistics show a 71% rise in hate crimes targeting Jewish Canadians between 2022 and 2023, much of it fueled by anti-Israel agitation and conspiracy theories. The Holocaust Monument itself has been targeted before, but never with such blatant, politicized antisemitic messaging.
To vandalize a sacred site dedicated to the memory of the Holocaust is to attack the very foundation of Canadian values, remembrance, tolerance, and the rejection of hate. It is a warning that the line between anti-Israel protest and outright Jew-hatred is being erased in real time. Jewish-Canadians demand not only swift justice but a national reckoning with the forces of antisemitism now emboldened in our midst.
The Jewish community will not be intimidated. Canada must stand with its Jewish citizens, defend the sanctity of Holocaust memory, and ensure that those who traffic in hate are brought to justice.
This article is based on verified information from CTV News, CBC News, Ottawa Citizen, JNS, Ottawa CityNews, Global News, and statements by Jewish community leaders and Canadian officials.