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A violent attack at a pro-Israel demonstration in Boulder, Colorado, left eight people injured after a man shouting “Free Palestine” threw Molotov cocktails and used a makeshift flamethrower against participants. The FBI is investigating the incident as a suspected act of terrorism.
The assault took place at the Pearl Street Mall, a popular outdoor shopping and pedestrian area about 30 miles (48 km) from Denver. Victims of the attack, who range in age from 52 to 88, were injured by fire or related trauma. Authorities say several suffered burns, and among the injured is a Holocaust survivor.
The rally was part of a weekly gathering organized by Run for Their Lives, a group that advocates for the release of Israeli hostages being held in Gaza. Around 1:26 p.m. local time, police received emergency calls reporting a man with a weapon attacking people with fire.
Footage shared online shows a shirtless man aggressively approaching the group while holding bottles appearing to be Molotov cocktails. He can be seen screaming and threatening demonstrators. As he moved toward the crowd, one woman collapsed, apparently injured. Bystanders rushed to assist, with one person seen pouring water on her burns. Flames erupted in several areas, and smoke quickly filled the air as people fled in panic.
Responding officers subdued and arrested the suspect at the scene. He was later transported to a hospital with injuries. Authorities identified him as Mohamed Sabry Soliman, a 45-year-old Egyptian national. According to officials, Soliman entered the U.S. on a non-immigrant visa in 2022, which expired in February 2023. CBS News reported that he had been living in Colorado Springs and had received a work permit after his visa lapsed, a claim linked to policies under President Joe Biden’s administration, though the BBC has not independently verified this.
Speaking at a press conference, FBI Special Agent Mark Michalek said the suspect used "a makeshift flamethrower and incendiary devices," including Molotov cocktails, which he threw directly at the crowd. He called the act “a targeted act of violence” and confirmed the FBI is treating it as domestic terrorism.
Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn confirmed that multiple victims sustained burn injuries and emphasized the seriousness of the attack.
Rabbi Israel Wilhelm, director of the Chabad at the University of Colorado Boulder, told CBS News that one of the victims was an 88-year-old Holocaust survivor, describing him as a “very loving person.”
This is the second violent incident in the U.S. in recent weeks believed to be connected to the ongoing conflict in Gaza. On May 22, another man shouting “Free Palestine” fatally shot two Israeli embassy workers outside a Jewish museum in Washington, D.C., during an event organized by a Jewish organization.
Reacting to Sunday’s incident, Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser condemned the attack and suggested it appeared to be a hate crime. “People may have differing views on international conflicts, including the Israeli-Hamas war, but violence is never the answer,” he said. “Hate has no place in Colorado.”
International officials also reacted strongly. Israel’s Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar called the attack “pure antisemitism” and expressed shock at the violent nature of the incident. Danny Danon, Israel’s Ambassador to the United Nations, described it as “terrorism” and called for firm action to protect Jewish communities abroad. “Terrorism against Jews doesn’t stop at the Gaza border—it is already burning in the streets of America,” Danon posted on social media platform X.
The FBI, Boulder Police, and other law enforcement agencies continue to investigate the suspect’s motives and background, while security measures are being reassessed at similar rallies across the U.S.
