Assailant burns Jewish pedestrians in Boulder

Boulder's Pearl Street after attack on Jewish activists

(Image credit: Helen H. Richardson / MediaNews Group / The Denver Post via Getty Images)

published 2 June 2025

What happened

Eight people were hospitalized with burns Sunday after a man threw Molotov cocktails at a Jewish group in Boulder, Colorado, at the end of their weekly walk to raise awareness of the Israeli hostages being held by Hamas, authorities said. The alleged attacker, who was arrested at the scene, also used a "makeshift flamethrower" and was heard yelling "Free Palestine," said Mark Michalek, the FBI agent in charge of the Denver office. The FBI is investigating this clear "targeted act of violence" as "an act of terrorism," he said.

The victims ranged in age from 52 to 88 and at least one was in critical condition, officials said. Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn said the 45-year-old suspect, Mohamed Sabry Soliman of Colorado Springs, was believed to have acted alone. He was also briefly hospitalized, police said. Witnesses told The Associated Press the attacker had removed his shirt and what looked like a bulletproof vest after accidentally setting himself on fire.

Israel's war in Gaza has "spurred both an increase in antisemitic hate crime" and an effort "led by President Donald Trump to brand pro-Palestinian protests as antisemitic," Reuters said. Sunday's attack came less than two weeks after a gunman yelling "Free Palestine" killed two Israeli embassy workers outside a Jewish event in Washington D.C. Colorado Gov. Jared Polis (D) said it was "unfathomable that the Jewish community is facing another terror attack here in Boulder."

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Peter has worked as a news and culture writer and editor at The Week since the site's launch in 2008. He covers politics, world affairs, religion and cultural currents. His journalism career began as a copy editor at a financial newswire and has included editorial positions at The New York Times Magazine, Facts on File, and Oregon State University.