A bipartisan group of Jewish state lawmakers on Monday called for “our allies to speak out” against the antisemitic violence on display in the fire attack on Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall and other recent incidents.
“I’m extremely upset and frustrated that our community is continuously under attack,” Rep. Ron Weinberg, a Loveland Republican, said in an interview.
He joined a statement issued by a half-dozen lawmakers as authorities charged Mohamed Sabry Soliman with a federal hate crime. The FBI said he shouted “Free Palestine” during the attack on marchers in a weekly event calling for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza. Twelve people were injured after Soliman threw two lit Molotov cocktails and used a “makeshift flamethrower,” law enforcement officials said.
The lawmakers’ statement says the Jewish community is “strong and deeply rooted in our state’s history,” adding that some of the legislators have participated in past events organized by Run for Their Lives, which put together Sunday’s demonstration. It was also signed by five Democrats — Sens. Dafna Michaelson Jenet of Commerce City, Mike Weissman of Aurora and Matt Ball of Denver; and Reps. Emily Sirota and Steven Woodrow of Denver.
“As we mourn the victims of yesterday’s attack in Boulder, we ask our allies to speak out,” the lawmakers said. “Whether publicly or privately — and regardless of views on the conflict in the Middle East — we must confront hate forcefully, before it becomes normalized.
“The rising tide of antisemitic attacks doesn’t just threaten Jews. It threatens the very fabric of what makes America worth believing in. We should all be outraged to live in a country where this is happening — and determined to change it.”
The lawmakers referenced two other attacks: the fatal shooting of two staffers from the Israeli Embassy outside a Jewish museum in Washington, D.C., last month, and a fire set at the Pennsylvania governor’s mansion in April, apparently targeting Gov. Josh Shapiro.
“What (the targets) all had in common was that they were Jewish,” the lawmakers’ statement says of those incidents and the Boulder attack. “We have a name for this: antisemitism.”
Weinberg, in the interview, said he’s grieving for the people who were attacked in Boulder and will do what he can for the Jewish community across the state.
He also expressed frustration that the man suspected to be responsible was an Egyptian citizen living in Colorado illegally after overstaying his tourist visa. Weinberg is opposed to Colorado legislation aimed at protecting undocumented immigrants and urged people to pay attention in their elections.
Weinberg expressed worry that Sunday’s act would introduce fear back into Jewish communities across Colorado.
“We need to be outspoken about how wrong this stuff is,” Weinberg said.
Stay up-to-date with Colorado Politics by signing up for our weekly newsletter, The Spot.
