Duncan Kinney pleads guilty to vandalizing Edmonton monuments

Duncan Kinney, a former journalist for the website Progress Report, has pleaded guilty to criminal mischief in connection with the 2021 vandalism of Ukrainian monuments in Edmonton, Alberta.

In August 2021, Kinney spray-painted “Actual Nazi” on a bust of Roman Shukhevych, a WWII military commander and Nazi collaborator, and defaced a memorial to the 14th Waffen SS Division. Security footage captured Kinney committing the acts and later photographing the damage. Following the vandalism, Kinney authored a news report for Progress Report regarding the defacement, inquiring if the monuments honored Nazi collaborators.

Kinney, who initially pleaded not guilty and claimed he was being targeted by police, is scheduled for sentencing on January 25, 2027. The crown prosecutor is expected to drop a more serious charge related to defacing a war memorial during the sentencing hearing.