Eight Injured in Suspected Terror Attack at Colorado Rally for Israeli Hostages
Authorities say a man shouting “Free Palestine” threw Molotov cocktails at a pro-Israeli hostage gathering in Boulder, Colorado, injuring eight people.
The attack took place at the Pearl Street Mall, a well-known outdoor area about 30 miles (48 km) northwest of Denver. The victims, aged between 52 and 88, were taken to hospital with varying injuries.
According to the FBI, the suspect used a makeshift flamethrower, Molotov cocktails, and other incendiary devices. Officials are treating the incident as a suspected act of terrorism.
Video footage shows the shirtless suspect yelling at the crowd while holding what appear to be Molotov cocktails in both hands. He was taken into custody at the scene.
Colorado Molotov Attack Targeted Weekly Pro-Israel Demonstration, Authorities Say
The attack occurred during a weekly demonstration organized by Run for Their Lives, a pro-Israeli group that holds solidarity walks at Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall to call for the release of hostages held in Gaza.
Police received emergency calls at around 1:26 p.m. local time (19:26 GMT) reporting a man with a weapon and multiple people on fire, Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn said at a press conference.
Whats Going Onhttps://t.co/54v7reumRm
— Globa Now (@Globanow) June 2, 2025
Responding officers found several individuals with burn injuries. Among the victims was an 88-year-old Holocaust survivor, according to Rabbi Israel Wilhelm, director of Chabad at the University of Colorado Boulder. Speaking to CBS News, Wilhelm described the man as a “very loving person.”
This marks the second high-profile U.S. incident in two weeks believed to be connected to tensions over the Gaza conflict.
On May 22, a man shouting “Free Palestine” fatally shot two Israeli embassy employees during a Jewish networking event outside a museum in Washington, D.C.
Suspect Identified in Boulder Attack FBI Says Incendiary Devices Were Used
Following Sunday’s attack in Boulder, witnesses reported that the suspect used a “makeshift flamethrower” and threw incendiary devices into the crowd, according to Mark Michalek, head of the FBI’s Denver office.
Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn confirmed that the devices included Molotov cocktails, which were hurled at the demonstrators.
Authorities identified the suspect as 45-year-old Mohamed Sabry Soliman. According to government officials speaking to CBS News, Soliman is an Egyptian national who entered the U.S. in 2022 on a non-immigrant visa. That visa reportedly expired in February 2023. Soliman had been residing in Colorado Springs.
White House Deputy Chief of Staff Stephen Miller claimed Soliman was granted a work permit after his visa expired, under the Biden administration. The BBC has not independently verified that information.
Disturbing Footage Emerges of Colorado Firebomb Attack as Officials Condemn ‘Targeted Act of Hate
Warning: This story contains descriptions that some readers may find distressing.
Videos believed to show the moment of Sunday’s attack in Boulder reveal a chaotic and violent scene: thick smoke in the air, people fleeing in all directions, patches of grass ablaze, and several victims lying injured on the ground.
In footage shared online, a shirtless man—believed to be the suspect—is seen holding bottles containing liquid with red cloth wicks. He appears to yell at the crowd and move toward them as panic spreads.
One woman, seen collapsed on the ground, appears to be injured. Bystanders surround her, and one man is seen pouring water on her burns. Police officers arrive moments later, subdue the suspect, and take him into custody. Authorities say he was later hospitalized with injuries.
FBI Denver chief Mark Michalek said the agency is treating the incident as an act of terrorism. “It is clear that this is a targeted act of violence,” he said. “Sadly, attacks like this are becoming too common across the country.”
Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser also condemned the attack, describing it as a likely hate crime. “People may have differing views about world events and the Israeli-Hamas conflict, but violence is never the answer,” Weiser said in a statement. “Hate has no place in Colorado.”
International officials also reacted strongly. Israeli Foreign Minister Gideon Sa’ar called the incident “pure antisemitism” and said he was “shocked by the terrible antisemitic terror attack targeting Jews in Boulder.” He blamed what he described as “blood libels spread in the media” for fueling such acts.
Israel’s UN Ambassador Danny Danon echoed the sentiment, calling the violence “terrorism” and urging concrete action. “Terrorism against Jews does not stop at the Gaza border—it is already burning the streets of America,” he wrote on X.
