Jewish leaders and elected officials in New York City expressed horror and outrage over the flamethrower attack on Jewish marchers in Boulder, Colorado, and urged federal and local governments to do more to protect communities from growing antisemitic violence.
“We’re witnessing a global campaign of intimidation and terror deliberately directed against the Jewish people,” Anti Defamation League CEO and National Director Jonathan Greenblatt said in a statement.
“Sadly, none of this is surprising. In fact, it’s entirely predictable. This is precisely where anti-Jewish incitement leads. This is exactly what vicious anti-Zionism enables. Elected officials, community groups, media platforms, faith leaders — they all need to commit to taking action before this crisis escalates even further.”
Greenblatt joined leaders across the five boroughs to strongly condemn Sunday’s fiery attack on a small group of Colorado marchers who were drawing attention to the plight of Israeli hostages still being held in Gaza.
Police in Boulder arrested a 45-year-old Egyptian national who was in the country illegally accused of wielding a makeshift flamethrower on a courthouse lawn where peaceful demonstrators were gathered to raise awareness of Israeli hostages who have remained in custody since the Oct. 7 Hamas terror attack on Israel.
Cops said suspect Mohamed Sabry Soliman yelled “Free Palestine” in a brutal attack that left four women and four men ranging in age from 52 to 88 with severe burns. One of the victims was a Holocaust survivor, police said.
“The attack in Boulder is another example of a wave of domestic terror attacks aimed at the Jewish community,” Jewish Federations of North America President & CEO Eric Fingerhut said in a statement. “This must be the highest priority for the Trump Administration and Congress.”
The NYPD was already on high alert after a gunman shot and killed two Israeli Embassy staffers May 22 outside a Jewish Museum in Washington, D.C. Law enforcement officials described that attack a “targeted” hate crime.
“We’re monitoring the horrific attack in Colorado targeting an event for Israeli hostages,” a police department representative said in a social media post. “The NYPD has already increased our presence at religious sites throughout NYC for Shavuot with high visibility patrols and heavy weapons teams.”
Central Synagogue posted a statement on Facebook noting that “this marks the second violent attack against Jews in the U.S. in less than two weeks. Antisemtiism and violence are not the answer. Our hearts are with the victimes, their families and the Boulder community.”
Local officials expressed their outrage.
“Another act of horrific, vile antisemitism and terrorism in our country, as an individual violently attacked a peaceful crowd in Boulder, Colorado, gathered to call for the release of the hostages still held in Gaza since Hamas’ terror attacks on October 7, 2023,” Mayor Adams said in a post on the X social media platform.
“Out of abundance of caution, the NYPD is increasing resources at religious sites throughout our city ahead of the sacred holiday of Shavuot. We will not rest until we root out this unacceptable violence and rhetoric from our communities.”
Radio host and Republican mayoral candidate Curtis Sliwa said the attack was “beyond despicable.”
“No one should live in fear for who they are,” Sliwa said in a statement. “Here in NYC, antisemitic hate is far too common, and City Hall has allowed those who spread hate to take over streets and bridges, trying to intimidate our Jewish neighbors. This cannot continue.”
City Council Speaker Adrienne Adams called the attack “devastating and unacceptable.”
“We must always denounce and reject antisemitism, hate and violence in our communities—they make us all less safe,” she said in a statement. “Praying for the victims of this horrific violence in Boulder, the first responders on the scene, and our communities.”
