Washington, June 2 (H.S.): In Boulder, Colorado, six individuals sustained burns and injuries in a targeted terror attack during a peaceful demonstration advocating for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza, according to the FBI. Law enforcement has apprehended a suspect, although they are cautious about determining a specific motive. Eyewitness accounts reported that a man threw an object resembling a homemade Molotov cocktail at the gathering, aimed at members of the Jewish community. Video footage captured a shirtless man pacing with clear bottles, while the grass ignited around him and he shouted inflammatory slogans like End Zionists! and Palestine is Free! toward attendees in red t-shirts who were assisting an injured person. Additional images depicted thick black smoke rising from the park. FBI chief Kash Patel confirmed the investigation into the incident as a targeted terror attack. President Donald Trump has been informed of the situation. Boulder Police Chief Steve Redfearn cautioned against jumping to conclusions regarding the motive behind the violence, highlighting the need for further investigation since the attack occurred shortly before 1:30 pm (1930 GMT).
Initial reports indicated a man armed with a weapon was setting people on fire during a community event in Boulder, prompting police response. Multiple victims were found with burn injuries. The suspect was apprehended without incident. The incident was characterized as an antisemitic attack by the Anti-Defamation League, occurring at the Boulder Run for Their Lives, which supports hostages taken during the Hamas attack on Israel on October 7, 2023. Israel’s UN ambassador, Danny Danon, expressed outrage, claiming that terrorism against Jews extends beyond Gaza into the U.S., as people protesting for hostages were attacked with Molotov cocktails. U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio also condemned the violence, labeling it a targeted terror attack and asserting that terrorism has no place in America.
Various organizations condemned the hate-fueled assault, with the Israeli-American Council stating that the peaceful march for awareness of hostages was marred by a violent antisemitic attack. They emphasized solidarity, stating, this is an attack on all of us. This violence in Boulder follows the recent fatal shooting of two Israeli embassy staffers outside a Jewish museum in Washington, where a suspect, shouting Free Palestine, was arrested. The rising trend of antisemitic violence has drawn significant concern from both community leaders and political figures, highlighting the urgent need for addressing such hate-driven incidents in the U.S.
Hindusthan Samachar / Jun Sarkar
