Only a few yards from the scene of the most horrific anti-Semitic event Boulder has ever endured, Ed Victor approached the podium in front of the Historic Courthouse and recalled the chilling events of June 1, when a terrorist threw gasoline-fed Molotov cocktails at members of Boulder’s Run For Their Lives at the Pearl Street Mall.
“I remember at that time on Sunday, I was looking a little bit towards the mountains, talking to just a friend,” said Victor.
“Suddenly I heard a crash, and then I felt a lot of heat. All of a sudden, a person is on fire.
“At that point my focus got extremely narrow, and at that time I didn’t notice anything else, because I was worried about that woman.
“When something’s on fire, it takes too long to put them out. Whether it took one minute or two minutes, I remember looking around for some flags, or a banner, to put the fire out. Myself, and two or three other people were doing what we could to help.”
Victor paused a moment to catch his breath, his emotions clearly overtaking his composure.
Hundreds gathered at the courthouse to hear Victor and other community and national leaders for a gathering called Stand Against Antisemitism and Hate.
Many of those in the crowd had seen Sunday’s attack in-person, too. Victor had a message for them all.
“I know our Jewish community is strong,” Victor said, “and the people who walk with us, they are not all Jewish. It’s Jews and non-Jews walking together. We’re supporting each other. After this happened, I got a lot of outreach from both my Jewish community and my non-Jewish community.
“The people who are unable to make it here to today, that’s who we want to hear from. Boulder is a strong community. We gather together when we need to uplift.
“I’ll also say this was not OK.
“It was really, really not OK.”
Boulder is hometown to Colorado Gov. Jared Polis, who knows some of the 12 victims injured in the flamethrowing incident.
“Today we return to the site where this occurred to show, by deeds and words, that terrorism does not win,” said Polis.
“We are united as Coloradans of all faiths, of all backgrounds to make it clear that anti-Semitism, that violence and hate have no home in Colorado, not today, and not ever.
“This heinous terror attack struck just hours before the start of the Jewish holiday of Shavuot. And of course, less than two weeks on the heels of the targeted anti-Semitic killings at the Capital Jewish Museum in Washington DC.
“Sadly, violence continues to rear its ugly head. We want to say, anti-Semitism, terrorism and violence have no place in Colorado and no place in the United States of America.
“We will not be silenced. We’re scared. We will not let the demons of hate define us. Jewish tradition shares that a little bit of light can dispel much of the darkness and coming together in unity and peace.
“I hope that we are, in our part, radiating light through the darkness.”
The solidarity event drew rabbis and political leaders from around the region. Rabbi Marc Soloway of Congregation Bonai Shalom in Boulder scanned the audience at the Pearl Street Mall, and became impassioned.
“The whole Jewish community is reeling, and shocked that this hideous hate crime could happen right here in downtown beautiful Boulder, Colorado.
“And yet, we have seen this coming. Jews here and all over America and all over the world have not been feeling safe, not physically safe and not emotionally safe in the face of demonizing hate speech and dangerous rhetoric.
“Let’s be clear. This is not the time for pedantic analysis about the difference between anti-Zionism and anti-Semitism, nor to talk about the horrors of a war thousands of miles away. This was a brutal, hateful, anti-Semitic terrorist attack against peaceful Jews in Boulder, Colorado, in 2025. We are really hurting. We are really angry and really sad.
“The victims, the witnesses, the whole community need a lot of time to grieve and to heal, for the physical and emotional scars of this will never fully heal.
“Demonization of others must stop the hate speech, including in our City Council, must stop.”
That drew applause from many.
Among the speakers was Anti-Defamation League CEO Jonathan Greenblatt.
“It’s way past time to stop excusing anti-Semitic rhetoric, to stop rationalizing anti-Zionist hate,” said Greenblatt, “to stop equivocating when Jews and only Jews are attacked before things get even worse.
“If you are sick of it too, if you’re as angry as I am, if you don’t want to see our communities overrun by hate, if you agree that anti-Semitism is evil, then I’ve got a job for you.
“All it takes is a little courage. Speak out.
“Let the world know that anti-Semitism won’t be tolerated. Flag a hateful post. Sign a petition, attend a service. Make a comment in city council and set an example for your kids, for your neighbors, for your Jewish colleagues and friends.
“Do it at work. Do it at school. Wherever you are.
“I’m asking this of you, I’m giving you this job, because we can stop this rising tide of anti-Semitism if we choose to.
“What happened this past weekend and what happened a few weeks ago teaches us that we have no choice. We have got to battle this bigotry with everything we have.
“This is the fight of our lives and we can’t afford to lose. Losing is not an option.
“But as I listen to the remarks and I look around, I have to share: I am angry. I’m angry. I’m angry that someone violated the space and the sanctity created by some of the most dedicated and selfless members of this community as they were holding a march for 58 people.
“In the eyes of the assailants in all these cases in Pennsylvania (the Tree of Life shooting in Oct., 2018), in Washington and Colorado, the victims were guilty of the same crime. One crime. They were Jewish. That’s right. Their offense was the fact that they were Jews. I’m Jewish. Sadly, none of this is surprising. It’s entirely totally predictable.
“So let me be crystal clear to everyone here today. To everyone watching, words have meaning. They have consequences.
“And indeed the Jewish people have learned a painful lesson, a raw truth over the centuries. Believe your enemies. Take them at their word, whether it’s the Tree of Life or the Capital Jewish Museum, or the market in Paris or Pearl Street Mall right here.
“This place in Boulder, we know exactly how vicious anti-Jewish incitement ends.”
Jonathan Lev, executive director of the Boulder JCC, said:
“As we saw here in Boulder, hateful rhetoric turned into horrific violence,” Lev said.
“Silence, therefore, is not neutral. It is permission. So let us pledge right now. None of us will be silent. Never again will we accept hate in our community, in our Colorado, in our country, in our world.
“Governor Polis reminded us that hate has no place in Colorado and no place here in Boulder.
“Declarations are only as strong as the actions that follow them.
“When we leave this event, my hope is that each of you leaves with a renewed sense of purpose and accepts the responsibility of ending hate, and helping us heal.
“Check in with your Jewish friends and neighbors tomorrow, next week, next month.
“Challenge hateful words whenever and wherever you hear them. Your voice carries power. Show up again for the next gathering, for the next service, the next dialogue circle.
“We will not be silenced. Healing is not passive. We build it together, conversation by conversation, meal by meal, policy by policy. Our tradition calls this tikun olam, repairing the world.
“Today is one stitch in that great repair. Hold on to the sense of shared purpose you feel right now, and let it guide your steps in the days ahead.
“May we leave here strengthened, united and unwavering, unwavering in our commitment to prove that love is stronger than hate, and our strength is found by being in community.”
After an hour, the solidarity event ended.
Boulder Police and other security officers blanketed Pearl Street, which was noticeably less populated than usual for a summer day.
A few members of the crowd sat down on benches that faced the Old Courthouse, quietly staring forward, yet staring nowhere. No doubt, even three days after the criminal event that scarred Boulder, they had to be wondering how Boulder could have been the scene of an attack.
They had to be wondering, too, if it could happen again.
“Great question,” said Omer Shachar, co-lead of Run For Their Lives in Colorado:
“Actually, I just asked the police yesterday the same question because obviously being now with you here we have a lot of security, and I believe this is what will be this weekend (the Run For Their Lives event on Sunday, June 8) as well. I don’t know how it will look like after that.
“I really hope they will have more security. And I must say an attack like that in a peaceful place like Boulder, when you feel so safe, my feeling right now that it doesn’t end just after the walk.
“I hope that the community will remain peaceful, and that it will feel safe also walking the street again.”
© IJN 2025
