In a Sunday attack on a group of Boulder, Colorado residents who were campaigning for the release of Palestinian prisoners held by Hamas and other Palestinian armed groups in Gaza, eight people were hurt.
Police arrested a man who allegedly threw incendiary devices towards people. The FBI described the attack as an “act of terror” and said it was looking into it.
Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Saar described the attack as an anti-Semitic act in a social media post.
Here is what we know so far:
What transpired in Boulder, Colorado?
According to an official news release shared by the Boulder Police Department, a group of people were walking in a “regularly scheduled, weekly peaceful event” aimed at sprang up support for the release of the prisoners held in Gaza after being attacked. The police were called at 1: 36pm (10: 36 GMT).
Witnesses reported seeing the attacker launching fire-proven incendiary devices at the gathering while using a makeshift flamethrower, according to the news release.
A shirtless man appeared to be holding two glass bottles that resembled Molotov cocktails in witness videos that were circulated on social media.
What is a Molotov cocktail?
A very basic incendiary weapon is a Molotov cocktail. A wick-covered bottle filled with flammable liquid is used to set the bottle on fire before being thrown at a target.
They are named after Vyacheslav Molotov, the foreign minister of the Soviet Union during World War II. Finland was heavily bombed by the Soviet Union in 1939 following its invasion. Lolotov argued that only food packages were dropped by the Soviet Union.
In response, the Finns threw handmade explosives towards Soviet tanks, sarcastically dubbing them “Molotov cocktails”.
What city was the target of the attack?
The pedestrian mall in Boulder’s outdoor Pearl Street Mall, which extends four blocks, was the site of the attack. It is home to retail stores, art galleries and restaurants. The University of Colorado, Boulder is located 0.7 kilometers away from the mall, which is two minutes drive.
What was the victim’s circumstance?
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser released a statement on Sunday, saying that the attack was “against a group that meets weekly on Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall to call for the release of the hostages in Gaza”.
The Anti-Defamation League (ADL), a non-profit organization dedicated to combating anti-Semitism, released a statement claiming the event was a part of a global campaign called “Run for Their Lives,” which was criticized in January for defending billionaire Elon Musk’s salute at a rally for US President Donald Trump.
Worldwide, there are weekly gatherings where members of the Jewish community demonstrate solidarity with the captives that Hamas and other Palestinian organizations took on October 7, 2023 during weekly gatherings.
Run for Their Lives gatherings take place in 230 locations in 24 countries, including Brazil, Canada, India, New Zealand, South Africa and Spain. This event is held in Colorado at two locations, one in Boulder and the other in Denver’s Washington Park.
On October 7, armed Palestinian groups abducted about 251 Israeli captives. While some captives were returned in exchange for Palestinian prisoners, or rescued, others have died in captivity. Israel claims that 35 of the 59 captives who have been held hostage have passed away.
More than 61,700 Palestinians have died in the Gaza Strip as a result of Israeli military bombardment and other attacks, according to the Gaza Government Media Office.
Who was the suspect and what did he say during the attack?
According to a news release from Boulder Police, El Paso County resident Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, has been identified as the suspect in the Boulder attack.
Soliman suffered other injuries in the attack, but it’s not clear what caused his injuries.
The release says that Soliman was medically evaluated at a hospital and then was booked in the Boulder County Jail for multiple charges. What exactly these accusations were, according to the release.
During the attack, Soliman yelled, “Free Palestine,” according to the news release.
Stephen Miller, the White House deputy chief of staff for policy, claimed in a post on X that the Boulder attack was carried out by an “illegal alien”.
Miller claimed Soliman had overstayed a tourist visa that the suspect had been granted by the former US president, without naming him. The Biden Administration issued him a work permit in response. Suicidal migration must be fully reversed”, Miller wrote.
Soliman’s immigration status in the US was not independently verified by Al Jazeera.
What are the victims’ details known to us?
Law enforcement officials said that eight people were injured. Four men and four women between the ages of 52 and 88 are among them.
The victims were transported to Denver-area hospitals.
How are authorities responding?
According to the news release, the Boulder Police Department immediately contacted the FBI. This is being looked into as a terror attack by the FBI.
“This act of terror is being investigated as an act of ideologically motivated violence based on the early information, the evidence, and witness accounts”, FBI Deputy Director Dan Bongino wrote in an X post. When the circumstances call for it, “We will speak out loud about these incidents.”
In an X-post, FBI Director Kash Patel stated that his team was already conducting an investigation into the “targeted terror attack” and that law enforcement was present at the scene.
Kristi Noem, the Homeland Security secretary, wrote in an X post that the department was working on the situation with its “interagency partners”, including the FBI.
What has recently occurred on the ground?
All roads in downtown Boulder have been reopened, with the exception of a block on Pearl Street, which “should be reopened in the next few hours,” according to an update from the Boulder Police Department on X on Monday at 05:53 GMT.
What have been the reactions?
In a news release from Boulder Police, FBI Denver Special Agent in Charge Mark Michalek was quoted as saying, “We will continue to ensure that justice is pursued quickly, support is provided to victims and their communities, and preventative action is taken to protect everyone’s safety.”
Many Boulder residents were frightened and had questions about the attack, according to Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn. “Boulder has recovered from acts of violence before and we will again recover. This area needs to unite, I urge you. He was quoted as saying in the same news release that “this is not the time to divide.”
Israeli Foreign Minister Saar wrote on X on Monday: “Shocked by the terrible antisemitic terror attack targeting Jews in Boulder, Colorado. This is pure antisemitism, fuelled only by the media’s bloody libels. He didn’t explain what he meant by this.
US Senate Democratic Party Leader Chuck Schumer wrote on X: “Tonight, a peaceful demonstration was targeted in a vile, antisemitic act of terror. Jews are enraged once more by repeated acts of terrorism and violence.
We’re all praying for the victims of a targeted terrorist attack in Boulder, according to US Secretary of State Marco Rubio on Sunday.
Many Democrats have released online statements condemning the attack and describing it as anti-Semitic.
On X, Democratic Senator from Massachusetts, Elizabeth Warren, wrote, “My thoughts are with the victims, their families, and the Jewish community, which once again seems to have been targeted with hate. We all have a responsibility to stop these antisemitic acts”.
House Representative Hakeem Jeffries, a Democrat, released a statement on X, saying: “Our heartfelt prayers are with all of our Jewish brothers and sisters impacted by this unconscionable act of terror, and we thank law enforcement for their swift response. Antisemitism is not tolerated in our country or anywhere else in the world. It needs to be crushed. We stand with the Jewish community today and always”.
Have recent incidents been similar to these?
