The Voice News: A man threw a firebomb at a pro-Israel rally in Boulder, Colorado, injuring at least eight people. The incident occurred on Sunday (June 1) during a protest rally demanding the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza. According to British news agency Reuters, a 45-year-old man shouted “Free Palestine” before hurling the firebomb into the crowd.
The attacker has been arrested. The U.S. Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) has termed the incident a “premeditated terrorist attack” and has launched an investigation.
Mark Michalek, Special Agent in Charge of the FBI’s Denver Field Office, stated, “Preliminary information clearly indicates that this was a targeted act of violence, and we are treating it as a terrorist attack.”
He further mentioned that the injured individuals are aged between 67 and 88 and were taken to the hospital. At least one of them is reported to be in critical condition.
Michalek identified the attacker as Mohamed Sulaiman. He was also admitted to a hospital shortly after the attack. Reuters has been unable to reach him or his family for comment.
FBI Director Kash Patel also described the incident as a “premeditated terrorist attack” in a post on social media platform X.
“We are aware of a premeditated terrorist attack in Boulder, Colorado, and are investigating the incident thoroughly,” he stated.
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser remarked that, since a specific group was targeted, the attack appears to be a hate crime.
Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn added, “We are confident that the lone suspect has been taken into custody.”
The incident occurred at Pearl Street Mall, a popular shopping district adjacent to the University of Colorado. The rally was organized by a group called “Run for Their Lives,” which has been holding weekly demonstrations demanding the release of Israeli hostages since Hamas’s attack on Israel in October 2023. This was the first instance of violence during one of their events.
The attack comes amid heightened tensions in the U.S. over the ongoing Israeli military operations in Gaza. As the war continues, anti-Semitic hate crimes have reportedly increased in the United States. At the same time, pro-Israel conservatives, led by Donald Trump, are attempting to label pro-Palestinian protests as anti-Semitic.
Under Trump’s administration, several anti-war protestors have been detained without charge, and elite American universities hosting such protests have seen their funding cut.
On social media, Trump’s former Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller alleged that Sulaiman was overstaying his visa and had been allowed to work under the previous administration. Reuters has not independently verified his immigration status.
Videos circulating on social media show a shirtless man holding two transparent spray bottles, walking around while a fire burns on the grass nearby. In the footage, the man is heard shouting, “Down with Zionists,” “Free Palestine,” and “They are murderers,” while addressing a few individuals in red T-shirts attending to someone lying on the ground.
Brooke Kaufman, a 19-year-old student at the University of Colorado, reported seeing four women lying on the ground with visible burn injuries on their legs.
The attack comes just a month after two Israeli embassy staff members were shot dead in Washington, D.C.