CliffNotes
- Eight hurt in Colorado fire attack
- Mohamed Sabry Soliman was arrested at the scene
- Those attacked were at a pro-Israel demonstration
Eight hurt in Colorado fire attack after man shouts ‘Free Palestine’
What Happened
Eight people were injured in Colorado, USA, after a man shouting “Free Palestine” attacked a pro-Israel demonstration with Molotov cocktails and a makeshift flamethrower. The incident occurred on Saturday at the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder, around 30 miles from Denver.
The attack targeted a weekly event held by Run for Their Lives, a group that organises walks in solidarity with Israeli hostages held in Gaza. Victims, aged between 52 and 88, suffered burns and other injuries.
US authorities are treating the incident as a suspected terror attack. The suspect, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, was arrested at the scene.
Soliman, 45, is an Egyptian national who entered the US in 2022 on a non-immigrant visa, which expired in February 2023. He had reportedly been living in Colorado Springs prior to the attack.
Footage from the scene shows Soliman shirtless, shouting slogans, and wielding what appeared to be incendiary devices in both hands. Eyewitnesses described him launching firebombs into the crowd while using a makeshift flamethrower.
What Next
Local and federal authorities are now investigating the motive and background of the attacker. The FBI confirmed the use of multiple incendiary devices, including Molotov cocktails. Boulder’s Police Chief, Stephen Redfearn, said emergency services responded to calls about “a man with a weapon” and people “being set on fire” around 13:26 local time (20:26 BST).
The FBI’s Denver field office said it is coordinating with local law enforcement and will determine whether federal terrorism charges will be filed.
No fatalities have been reported so far, but the violent escalation in a civilian setting has prompted concern among Jewish communities in the US and abroad.