New Delhi: A man launched Molotov cocktails and employed a makeshift flamethrower against a crowd gathered to honor Israeli hostages in Colorado, United States, on Sunday, resulting in injuries to at least six individuals. The assailant, named Mohamed Sabry Soliman, yelled “Free Palestine” during the attack and has since been apprehended.
The incident took place in Boulder, Colorado, close to a memorial walk for the Israeli hostages still held in Gaza. Local law enforcement quickly arrived at the location after receiving alerts about a man wielding a weapon and “setting people on fire,” according to Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn. All six victims, aged between 67 and 88, have been hospitalized with burn injuries, with one person’s condition reported as serious.
In a video of the event that circulated widely on social media, the bare-chested Soliman, donning sunglasses, is seen yelling at the demonstrators, questioning, “How many children have you killed?” while brandishing a flamethrower in one hand and a Molotov cocktail in the other.
One bystander was observed confronting the assailant, stating, “You can’t do that,” to which Soliman responded, “Yes, you can.”
The footage shows local residents assisting the victims, spraying water on them as they lay on the ground, suffering in pain.
While FBI chief Kash Patel characterized the assault as a “targeted” act of terror, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser indicated that it seemed to be “a hate crime given the group that was targeted.”
The local police announced that they have apprehended the sole assailant and are “fairly confident” that there are “no further suspects at large”.
Several blocks of the pedestrian mall area were evacuated by law enforcement. The atmosphere following the attack was charged. Officers accompanied by a police dog patrolled the streets searching for potential threats and advised the public to avoid the pedestrian mall.
TENSIONS IN THE US REGARDING THE ISRAEL-GAZA CONFLICT
Tensions are escalating in the United States due to the intensifying conflict between Israel and Hamas. As reported by Reuters, there has been an increase in antisemitic hate crimes and heated discussions between supporters of Israel and pro-Palestinian factions.
Conservative advocates for Israel, including President Donald Trump, have labeled many pro-Palestinian demonstrations as antisemitic. The Trump administration is targeting demonstrators by detaining them without charges. In this effort, the administration has suspended funding to several notable universities where protests occurred.
The Boulder incident follows another violent occurrence in Washington, D.C., where a man was arrested for shooting and killing two employees of the Israeli embassy. The victims were departing from an event organized by the American Jewish Committee, an organization dedicated to combating antisemitism and supporting Israel.
A statement from Boulder’s Jewish community expressed, “We are deeply saddened and heartbroken to learn that an incendiary device was thrown at participants of the Run for Their Lives walk on Pearl Street as they raised awareness for the hostages still held in Gaza.”
Colorado Governor Jared Polis stated that he is closely monitoring the situation and that “hate-filled acts of any kind are unacceptable.”
