(Ottawa) A 46-year-old man was charged with mischief after the National Holocaust monument of Canada was vandalized earlier this month.
The man was accused of mischief of a commemorative war monument, mischief of more than $ 5,000 and criminal harassment, the Ottawa police service said on Friday.
The individual must appear before the court on Saturday.
The words “feed me” (“nourish me”) were found scribbled with red paint on the facade of the monument on June 9, and other parts of the structure were also splashed with red paint.
Prime Minister Mark Carney said he was “dismayed” by this act of vandalism and recalled that the monument is a place of mourning and commemoration.
The Ottawa police service indicates that the investigation carried out by its unit of hateful and prejudice crimes continues.
Richard Marceau, vice-president of external affairs and general lawyer of the Consultative Center for Jewish and Israeli relations, said that the monument is an important national symbol, especially in this period of “exacerbated anti-Semitism”.
“It was particularly vile to see him vandalized and degraded,” said Marceau, adding that he was grateful to the police to have reacted quickly. This is why it is so important and crucial that the authorities and the police repress this hatred and incentive, without delay. »»
With information from David Baxter, the Canadian press
