Authorities in Colorado reported that a man shouting “Free Palestine” threw Molotov cocktails at a gathering in support of Israeli detainees, resulting in multiple injuries.
The incident took place at the Pearl Street Mall, a well-known outdoor space in Boulder, located about 30 miles (48 km) from Denver, according to police. Eight individuals, ranging in age from 52 to 88, sustained injuries.
Free Palestine Chant Sparks Molotov Attack at Colorado Rally
The FBI has classified the incident as a suspected terror attack, stating that the suspect used Molotov cocktails, a makeshift flamethrower, and other incendiary devices.
The shirtless suspect was captured on camera shouting at the group and holding what appeared to be Molotov cocktails in both hands at the time of his arrest.
The attack occurred during a weekly demonstration organized by Run for Their Lives, a pro-Israel group that holds walks in the outdoor mall to show support for Israeli hostages held in Gaza.
Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn said at a news conference that officers received reports at approximately 1:26 p.m. local time (8:26 p.m. BST) about a man with a weapon and people being set on fire.
Responding officers found multiple injured individuals, including those with burn injuries.
Mark Michalek, director of the FBI’s Denver office, confirmed that the suspect used a “makeshift flamethrower and threw an incendiary device into the crowd,” according to witness accounts.
Chief Redfearn added that the incendiary devices included Molotov cocktails aimed at the crowd.
The suspect was identified as 45-year-old Mohamed Sabry Soliman, according to Michalek.
Government officials told CBS News that Soliman is an Egyptian national who entered California in 2022 on a non-immigrant visa, which expired in February 2023. He had been residing in Colorado Springs.
Footage from the attack shows a chaotic scene: smoke fills the air, people run in different directions, grass burns, and injured individuals lie on the ground.
The BBC has not independently verified the images and videos posted online, which show a shirtless man holding containers filled with liquid and red cloths. He can be heard shouting at the crowd and advancing toward them as some attempt to flee.
One woman lies on the ground, appearing to be injured. People surround her, and someone pours water over her body.
The suspect was apprehended by police who quickly arrived at the scene. Authorities say he was taken to a hospital with injuries.
“The FBI is investigating this as an act of terrorism, and it is clear this was a targeted act of violence,” said Michalek. “Unfortunately, such incidents are becoming increasingly common across the country.”
This attack is the second high-profile act of violence in the United States in the past two weeks linked to the Gaza conflict.
On May 22, a man shouting “Free Palestine” fatally shot two Israeli embassy employees outside a Jewish museum in Washington, D.C. The incident occurred during a networking event organized by a Jewish group.
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser said the attack appears to be a hate crime based on the group that was targeted.
“Violence is never the answer to resolving differences, no matter how strongly people may feel about world events or the Israeli-Hamas conflict,” Weiser stated on Sunday. “Hate has no place in Colorado.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar expressed his shock at the incident, calling it “pure antisemitism.”
“I am appalled by the horrific antisemitic terror attack that targeted Jews in Boulder, Colorado,” he said in a post on X. “This is unfiltered antisemitism, intensified by the media’s spread of blood libels.”
Danny Danon, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, also condemned the attack, describing it as terrorism and calling for “concrete action” in response.
“Jewish demonstrators were brutally attacked,” Danon said in a post on X.. “Terrorism against Jews isn’t limited to the Gaza border; it is now spreading through the streets of the United States.”
Source: BBC
