OTTAWA – More than 200 people attended an interfaith rally at Ottawa’s National Holocaust Monument on June 15, responding to graffiti that was discovered on the memorial early on June 9. The vandalism, which scrawled the words “Feed Me” in red paint, is being investigated as a possible hate crime by Ottawa’s Hate and Bias Crime Unit.
The monument, located at 1918 Chaudière Crossing near downtown Ottawa, commemorates the six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust and other victims of Nazi persecution.
At the rally, speakers from across Ottawa’s faith communities offered support and solidarity. Adam Silver, president and CEO of the Jewish Federation of Ottawa, said the defacement “was not just vandalism, it was an attack on the memory of six million Jews murdered in the Holocaust and on the values of decency and humanity we hold as Canadians.”
After the National Holocaust Monument was defaced with graffiti last week, people of all faiths came together this past weekend to say no to hate.
— CIJA (@CIJAinfo) June 17, 2025
Thank you so much to everyone who attended:
Mark Peterkins – ONE WAY Ministries
Pastor Isaac Gimba – Meeting Point Ministries
Pastor… pic.twitter.com/hZohpr7avF
Lawrence Greenspon, co‑chair of the National Holocaust Monument Committee, emphasized the threat posed by hateful ideologies. He said the vandalism “was not only a violation of memory, but a reminder that in today’s world antisemitism often wears the mask of anti‑Zionism.”
Elder Verna McGregor of the Kitigan Zibi Anishinabeg First Nation prayed for communal healing, stating, “We need to look after [each other], and that includes also striving for peace and peaceful coexistence.”
Agnes Klein, a Holocaust survivor, reflected on the painful echoes of the past: “The paint may have been cleaned, but its memory will stay with us as a reminder of a certain malevolence against the Jewish people… But we are resilient, and we shall prevail.”
Ottawa Centre MP Yasir Naqvi, among other public officials, condemned the act as antisemitic. Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs interim president Noah Shack warned that the vandalism “was fuelled by a climate where incendiary rhetoric and false narratives about Israel are increasingly used to target Jews in Canada and around the world.”
Ottawa police have urged any witnesses or those with surveillance footage to come forward as the investigation continues.
The gathering included notable religious figures such as Mark Peterkins, Pastor Isaac Gimba, Pastor Bob Davies, Pastor Rob McGee, and the Rev. Canon Gary van der Meer. Jewish leaders in attendance included Cantor Jason Green, Rabbis Idan Scher, Chaim Mendelsohn, Steve Garten, and Adam Silver. Elders and civil leaders such as Elder McGregor, Auxiliary Bishop Yvan Mathieu, and Lawrence Greenspon also participated, demonstrating broad community unity.
This article is based on verified information from Ottawa Police, The Canadian Jewish News, Global News, Homeland Security Today, CTV News, and The Centre for Israel and Jewish Affairs.