News Desk

The FBI has launched a full-scale investigation into what it has described as a “targeted terror attack” that left several people injured during a peaceful pro-Israel demonstration in Boulder, Colorado on May 31.

According to initial reports, the incident occurred around 1:30 p.m. local time at a park where a group of Jewish community members had gathered for the weekly “Run for Their Lives” event. Organized to raise awareness and demand the release of Israeli hostages still held in Gaza following Hamas’s deadly October 7, 2023 incursion into southern Israel, the event drew a crowd of runners and walkers wearing red shirts in solidarity with the hostages.

Witnesses described a chaotic scene erupting when a shirtless man approached the group and hurled an incendiary device resembling a homemade Molotov cocktail into their midst. Several attendees sustained burn injuries, while video footage captured by bystanders shows the assailant screaming anti-Zionist slogans as grass and clothing caught fire.

“We are aware of and fully investigating a targeted terror attack in Boulder, Colorado,” FBI chief Kash Patel said in a statement posted to X (formerly Twitter). “We will hold accountable anyone who seeks to harm Americans based on religion, ethnicity, or political beliefs.”

Footage of the incident shows a man wielding what appear to be plastic spray bottles and yelling phrases such as “End Zionists,” “Palestine is Free,” and “They are killers!” The suspect, whose name has not yet been released by authorities, was apprehended at the scene without resistance, according to Boulder Police Chief Steve Redfearn.

“When we arrived, we encountered multiple victims that were injured, with injuries consistent with burns and other injuries,” Redfearn told reporters. “The suspect was taken into custody without incident.”

Although the FBI has labeled the act as terrorism, Chief Redfearn urged caution when interpreting the suspect’s motives at this early stage. “It’s way too early to speculate on motive. We are working closely with federal authorities to assess all possible leads,” he said.

The Anti-Defamation League (ADL) confirmed its awareness of the incident, describing it as a hate-fueled act. “We are horrified by the reports of an attack at today’s Boulder Run for Their Lives event,” the ADL said in a statement. “This weekly gathering is a peaceful demonstration of solidarity with hostages being held in Gaza, and this violence is abhorrent.”

Israeli officials also reacted strongly to the attack. Gilad Erdan, Israel’s ambassador to the United Nations, condemned the incident as an extension of antisemitic violence seen globally since the start of the Israel-Hamas war.

“Terrorism against Jews does not stop at the Gaza border – it is already burning the streets of America,” Erdan said in a statement. “Today, in Boulder, Colorado, Jewish people marched with a moral and humane demand: to return the hostages. In response, the Jewish protesters were brutally attacked, with an attacker throwing Molotov cocktails at them. Make no mistake – this is not a political protest, this is terrorism.”

At least three people were hospitalized with burn injuries, though officials have not yet released their identities or conditions. Authorities are working to determine whether the assailant acted alone or was motivated by a broader extremist ideology. Federal and local law enforcement are reportedly examining the suspect’s digital footprint, past behavior, and any potential affiliations with extremist groups.

The attack has reignited debate around rising antisemitism in the United States, particularly amid escalating tensions surrounding the Israel-Gaza conflict. Jewish advocacy groups have called for increased security measures at public gatherings, especially those with political or religious overtones.

“We will not be intimidated,” said Rachel Levine, a local organizer of the Run for Their Lives event. “We will continue to walk, run, and raise our voices until every hostage is brought home – safely and without fear.”

As investigators work to piece together the timeline of events and motivations behind the attack, authorities are urging the public to remain calm and report any suspicious activity that could be related to hate crimes or politically motivated violence.