A prosecution for federally-defined hate crimes was launched against a man who reportedly disrupted a peace rally in Boulder, Colorado with the use of Molotov cocktails. The demonstration was in solidarity with Israeli captives held in the Gaza region. Mohamed Sabry Soliman, as court documents reveal, is allegedly the assailant.
Upon federal investigation, it was discovered that Soliman had meticulously planned the violent act for over a year. Post his detainment, he reportedly confessed to investigators, expressing his harmful intentions against what he referred to as ‘Zionist people’, wishing unliveable conditions upon them.
During the event, Soliman hurled two incendiary devices into the crowd of peaceful demonstrators. However, the court filings indicated that he arrived at the scene equipped with a total of 14 Molotov cocktails.
The violent assault left eight of the attendees with severe burn injuries and other related harm, necessitating hospital treatment. Witnesses of the incident recounted that the perpetrator was seen clamoring the slogan ‘Free Palestine’ during his horrific act.
According to official court documents, Soliman, a 45-year-old, immigrated to the U.S. from Egypt in the later part of 2022. His legal stay expired in February 2023, post which he stayed in the country unlawfully.
Following the dramatic occurrence, authorities apprehended Soliman after onlookers identified him as the attacker. He faced multiple serious charges and was detained at the Boulder County Jail.
His court appearance was scheduled for 1:30 p.m. local time on the following Monday after the attack. Details about the assault explain that Soliman attacked a group participating in a regular nonviolent protest aimed at shedding light on captives taken during an attack in Israel led by Hamas on October 7, 2023.
As the assault unfolded, Soliman’s shouted out ‘Free Palestine’, leaving a trail of scorched lawn patches at the precincts of a county courthouse. The attendees frantically attempted to douse the flames with their apparel.
Among the victims, four males and four females suffered injuries, their ages spanning from 52 to 88 years. The medical responders airlifted at least two victims to a burn treatment facility in Denver due to the severity of their condition.
In recent times, the Jewish community in the U.S. reportedly experienced an unsettling upswing in antisemitic violence. Weeks prior to the Boulder incident, two Israeli embassy staffers were fatally targeted outside an event at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington.
Additionally, an individual who lit a fire at the residence of Pennsylvania’s Jewish Governor, Josh Shapiro, was identified in April. Following these, the Boulder incident raised grave concerns about the overall safety of Jewish Americans.
Responding to the Molotov cocktail attack in Boulder, President Trump firmly asserted that aggression of that manner was intolerable. He criticized the immigration policies of his predecessor, former President Joseph R. Biden Jr., for allowing Soliman’s entry into the country, despite the fact that Soliman held a valid B2 tourist visa at the time of his arrival, per information from the Department of Homeland Security.
In a recounting of the incident, a witness conveyed her feelings of immediate danger and her subsequent quest for a safer refuge. According to notifications on a Whatsapp group for the activists, the weekly nonviolent demonstration has been suspended for an undetermined duration due to security concerns.
The most recent Boulder attack capped off a spate of assaults targeting the Jewish community, including several incidences where the perpetrators professed their resentment for the Gaza war. Reflecting outrage over these incidents, Colorado’s Governor, Jared Polis, stated,
Echoing the sentiment of the community, Governor Polis commented that the attendees were brutally attacked during their peaceful vigil, which was meant to highlight the ongoing plight of those held captive by Gaza’s Hamas terrorists for over 600 days. He denounced the act of terrorism and prayed for the recovery of the victims, reinforcing that hatred had no place in Colorado.