Gov. Jared Polis, a member of Boulder’s Jewish community, has personal relationships with two of the dozen people injured Sunday in the attack on a group that had gathered in downtown Boulder in support of Israeli hostages in Gaza.
Polis said Monday afternoon that he’s spoken with the victims he knows. He said they suffered second-degree burns when a man yelling “free Palestine” threw Molotov cocktails at the demonstrators.
“We’re just hoping and praying for their recovery,” Polis said. “But having second- and third-degree burns is no walk in the park. And, obviously, when you’re in your 60s, 70s, 80s, it makes it even harder. It’s going to be a tough recovery for these folks. These are very serious burns.”
Of the 12 people injured in the attack, one was a Holocaust survivor. Two remained hospitalized Monday afternoon.
Polis is Colorado’s first Jewish governor. He lives in Boulder with his family just a few blocks from where the attack happened on the Pearl Street Mall.
Polis said he has seen and greeted members of Run for their Lives, the group targeted Sunday, on their weekly walks, which have peacefully happened for nearly two years.
“This is obviously a particular blow to the Jewish community — to see several elders who many of us know in the community who were brutally burnt by a terrorist act,” he said.
The attack happened as members of Run for their Lives stopped at the Boulder County Courthouse near the intersection of Pearl and 13th streets. The alleged attacker, 45-year-old Mohamed Soliman, has been charged with a federal hate crime and faces up to life in prison if convicted of that offense.
Police investigate the scene of an “act of terror” in and talk with witnesses on the Pearl Street Mall in Boulder, Colorado, on June 1, 2025. (Kevin Jeffers, The Colorado Sun)Soliman told authorities he had been planning the attack for a year.
Polis said the debate about the Israel-Hamas war has been robust in Colorado and in Boulder. On Friday, he attended an event at the Dairy Arts Center on the conflict. The Jerusalem Youth Chorus performed in Boulder on Saturday.
“There’s a lot going on in the dialog front and, unfortunately, this kind of terrorist act detracts from that,” said Polis, who himself has been the target of anti-Israel protesters. “It’s very important to have these conversations. It’s OK and it’s fine to disagree. But you need to do it in a civil and thoughtful and respectful manner to try to learn from other people.”
Polis said he’s been heartened to see leaders of all political and religious beliefs condemn the attack.
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