U.S. officials have strongly condemned the violence that occurred at a march in Colorado, with the state’s governor describing it as a “heinous and targeted act against the Jewish community.” Some Republicans have shifted the blame to the Biden administration in response to the incident.
According to police reports, eight people in Boulder were hospitalized after a man attacked a crowd with a makeshift flamethrower and incendiary device during a demonstration calling for the release of hostages in Gaza.
The suspect, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, was in the U.S. illegally after overstaying a tourist visa that expired in February 2023. He was charged with a federal hate crime following the attack, during which he was heard shouting “Free Palestine.” The violence resulted in injuries to four women and four men aged between 52 and 88.
President Donald Trump condemned the attack, blaming his predecessor for the violence and reiterating his stance on mass deportations. Colorado Governor Jared Polis has directed law enforcement agencies to enhance security measures at Jewish places of worship and called for the suspect to be prosecuted to the fullest extent of the law.
Several politicians, including Democratic Senators Michael Bennet and John Hickenlooper, denounced the violence and emphasized the need to combat antisemitism. They expressed solidarity with the victims and their families and reaffirmed their commitment to fighting hate in all its forms.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu stated that the victims were targeted because of their Jewish identity and called for the perpetrator to be prosecuted rigorously. Trump administration officials and FBI Director Kash Patel have pledged to investigate the incident as an act of terror and targeted violence.
Stephen Miller, Trump’s senior adviser, blamed the Biden administration for the attack, emphasizing the importance of immigration security as national security. House Speaker Mike Johnson also criticized the Biden administration for what transpired, suggesting that the incident could have been prevented with stronger national security measures in place.
