Suspect posed as a gardener in Boulder attack and planned to kill all in group he called 'Zionist'
apnews.com
Authorities say a man posed as a gardener before launching an attack in Boulder with Molotov cocktails that injured 12 people.

A man accused of throwing Molotov cocktails into a Colorado group that had gathered to bring attention to Israeli hostages in Gaza planned the attack for more than a year and specifically targeted what he described as a “Zionist group,” authorities said in court papers unsealed Monday charging him with a federal hate crime.

Witnesses in Boulder said the suspect, Mohammed Sabry Soliman, 45, yelled “Free Palestine” and used a makeshift flamethrower and incendiary devices. Eight people were injured in the attack, some with burns, as a group was concluding their weekly demonstration.

An FBI affidavit says Soliman confessed to the attack after being taken into custody Sunday and told the police he would do it again.

  • givesomefucks@lemmy.worldEnglish
    397·
    4 days ago

    Pre-emptive edit:

    Article was updated to say the group is called Run For Their Lives,

    As a mod so indelicately pointed out.

    I don’t think it mentioned what Miri Kornfeld’s connection to them was tho.

    Original comment:

    None of these articles have named the group…

    Six of the injured were taken to hospitals, and four have since been released, said Miri Kornfeld, a Denver-based organizer connected to the group. She said the clothing of one of those who remains hospitalized caught on fire.

    But going off the names in this article it looks like a local chapter of this:

    https://fundraise.standwithus.com/fundraiser/5559590

    StandWithUs has faced controversy regarding its tactics and positions on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict. Critics have accused it of misinformation, pinkwashing, stifling dissent, and limiting constructive dialogue about Israel, particularly in university settings.

    https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/StandWithUs

    It’s not just propaganda to disguise a genocide, theyre “teach a man to fish” genocide deniers…

    The organization offers two one-year programs to train students in pro-Israel activism,[20][50] distributes pamphlets and “fact sheets” on Israel, and sets up pro-Israeli lectures. According to Haaretz journalist Judy Maltz, no organization compares with SWU for “turning up the heat on the Israel-Palestinian debate at universities”, and its tactics in doing so are controversial.[8]

    SWU established and funds its own network of “fellows”, students trained to use cameras, videos, and robots[51][52] to film events that are considered anti-Israel at universities, and whose role is said to be one of acting as SWU’s “eyes and ears” on campuses. According to Maltz, the presence of SWU activists at anti-Israel demonstrators has often provoked clashes that, in her view, serve the organization’s interests.[8] Students are taught to warn anti-Israel demonstrators when their disruptions may be violating the law.[8]

    The Emerson Fellowship program, created in 2007, trains college student leaders from 90 universities throughout North America to be pro-Israel advocates on their campuses.[53] As of 2020, the program is offered to North American, British, and Brazilian students.[54][55] The number of students enrolled in the program has grown from 38 in 2007 and 2008 to 107 in 2020.[56][54] SWU also offered a Hispanic Emerson Fellowship.[53] A year-long UK Emerson fellowship, based on its American fellowship, launched in September 2018.[57] The fellowship launched in South Africa in November 2022.[58]

    So it’s starting to make sense why no one is mentioning the name of the group that was holding a pro-genocide march in broad daylight…

    It’s hard for people to think of them as victims when they know anything besides how elderly they were.

    • gedaliyah@lemmy.worldM
      133·
      4 days ago

      None of these articles have named the group…

      Incorrect. The group is called Run For Their Lives, and has been named in almost every article I’ve read, including the one posted here.

      Posting conspiracy theories about unrelated organizations doesn’t excuse the fact that this march was focused only on bringing attention to people who are, in fact, suffering. Never mind that many of the hostage families have publicly opposed the draconian methods of Netanyahu’s government.

      Attacking Jews in Colorado does not help to free Palestine. Searching for some fault in the victims of a firebombing is sick.

      • givesomefucks@lemmy.worldEnglish
        39·
        4 days ago

        Updated 6:33 PM EDT, June 2, 2025

        It does say “Run for Their lives” now, but I’m like 95% sure it didn’t three hours ago.

        But with a tone like yours I don’t think any of this will be constructive. I understand that a years long genocide is a sore subject for a lot of people, but the AP constantly updates stories, most articles start out with a single sentence.

        • gedaliyah@lemmy.worldM
          91·
          4 days ago

          Fortunately, this is easy enough to verify. Here is an archive of the article prior to your original post:

          Updated 10:39 AM CDT, June 2, 2025

          The attack occurred as people with a volunteer group called Run For Their Lives was concluding their weekly demonstration to raise visibility for the hostages who remain in Gaza.

          You didn’t read it. Don’t blame me for your irresponsible behavior.

    • Keeponstalin@lemmy.world
      74·
      4 days ago

      Regardless, it doesn’t justify throwing Molotov cocktails at them. That dude was clearly unwell and was lashing out in a completely unacceptable way

      That said, the adminstration and legacy media will absolutely weaponize this incident to justify further crackdowns on 1st amendment free speech, on fascist deportations, and criminalizing of pro-palestinian voices

      Of course, the main root cause of this kind of escalation of violence is Israel’s live streamed genocide, and frustration from lack of any tangible change surely plays a large role here. Liberal Zionist media is already blaming it instead on the reporting of the genocide itself, instead of the actual genocide.