Boulder Attack Shatters Peaceful Vigil With Antisemitic Firebombing
I can hardly describe how disturbing and heartbreaking this past Sunday’s events in Boulder, Colorado were. What was meant to be a peaceful demonstration—part of the weekly “Run for Their Lives” movement—quickly turned into a nightmare that will leave a scar on the Jewish community and anyone who values human dignity and free expression.
Imagine this: a group of older adults, some Holocaust survivors, others simply standing in solidarity with Israeli hostages still held in Gaza, quietly holding signs and posters at the Pearl Street Mall. They've done this every week, rain or shine, always peacefully, never confrontational. But this Sunday, they were ambushed.
According to the FBI, the suspect, 45-year-old Mohammed Sabry Soliman, had been plotting this attack for an entire year. He timed it to occur after his daughter's graduation. Wearing a utility vest and posing as a gardener, he approached the group with a backpack sprayer filled with gasoline and threw Molotov cocktails, yelling "Free Palestine." It was an intentional, hate-driven attack designed to maim and terrify.
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Twelve people were hospitalized, eight with burns. Some were severely injured, including a Holocaust survivor in her 80s. Witnesses described clothing burned off victims’ bodies, skin melted, people screaming in agony as others rushed with water bottles, flags, and banners to douse the flames. Two victims had to be airlifted due to the severity of their burns.
What’s even more chilling is that Soliman admitted to everything. He told investigators he wanted to "kill all Zionists" and would do it again if he could. He had researched his victims online, practiced making Molotov cocktails from YouTube, and even left goodbye messages for his family before heading to Boulder. Sixteen more unlit incendiary devices were later found at the scene.
Let that sink in: this wasn’t a random outburst. It was deliberate. Premeditated. A terrorist attack aimed at civilians who were simply standing in a public square advocating for hostages.
This isn’t just about Boulder. It’s about the disturbing normalization of hate that allows something like this to happen on American soil in broad daylight. Antisemitic violence is rising in the wake of the Israel-Gaza war, and the consequences are no longer just rhetorical—they're burning people alive.
Authorities are charging Soliman with a federal hate crime and multiple state charges including attempted murder. The community is still reeling. Weekly vigils are paused for now, but many say they won’t be silenced or driven away. As one man put it, “This won’t stop me. I’ll be back next week.”
And honestly, we all should be back—standing with our communities, speaking out against hate, and refusing to let fear win. This attack didn’t just happen to twelve people. It happened to a whole community. And how we respond matters now more than ever.
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