On June 1, during a non-violent demonstration in support of the freeing of Israeli hostages in Gaza, eight were injured. The attacks stemmed from a bystander armed with a makeshift flamethrower.
The suspect, Mohamed Sabry Soliman, was taken into custody and given multiple charges, with the FBI ruling that this was a targeted hate crime. While attacking the demonstrators, he was heard by witnesses yelling, “Free Palestine.”
Four women and four men were attacked, all in critical condition, and taken to the Denver metro hospitals. Their ages ranged from 52-88, and all were participating in a weekly event called Run for Their Lives, which brings awareness to the 240 civilian hostages that were taken on the Oct. 7, 2023, terrorist attacks.
Cities such as New York have been increasing enforcement activity in religious areas in preparation for the Jewish holiday Shavuot, as well as in response to these attacks.
