Colorado Gaza Protest Attack Causes Multiple Burn Injuries

Several people were hurt, some with burn injuries, during an attack on Sunday in Boulder, Colorado. The FBI called it a targeted terror attack against protesters demanding the release of Israeli hostages held in Gaza. Police arrested a man at the scene. The attack happened during a peaceful gathering of the Jewish community supporting the hostages captured during the Hamas attack on Israel in October 2023.

Witnesses said the attacker threw a homemade Molotov cocktail at the group. Videos showed a shirtless man holding clear bottles as flames burned nearby. He shouted slogans against Zionists while people in red shirts helped an injured person on the ground. Thick black smoke rose above the park where the protest took place.

The FBI confirmed they are investigating the incident. The White House said former President Donald Trump was briefed about the attack. Police said it was too soon to determine the attacker’s motive. The violence happened just before 1:30 pm local time. Responding officers found several victims with burn wounds and other injuries. The suspect was arrested without resistance.

The Anti-Defamation League said the attack targeted participants of the Boulder Run for Their Lives, a weekly event supporting the hostages. Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations called the attack terrorism and said violence against Jews is not limited to Gaza but has reached American streets. US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said terror has no place in the country. The Israeli-American Council called the incident a violent antisemitic attack and said the community will not stay silent.

This attack happened less than two weeks after a deadly shooting at a Jewish museum in Washington, DC, where two Israeli embassy staff members were killed. The suspect in that case shouted “Free Palestine” before being arrested. These violent acts highlight rising tensions linked to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas. Peaceful protests in the US have become targets of hate-fueled violence.

Authorities in Colorado and federal investigators are working to understand the full facts and stop further violence. They urge people to report suspicious behavior and remain cautious at public events.