Thousands of people gathered in downtown Boulder on Sunday, as a group raising awareness for hostages captured by Hamas in Gaza held its regular weekly march exactly a week after a violent attack shook the community. It also coincided with the annual Boulder Jewish Festival.
On many Sundays since Alon Dagan moved to Boulder six months ago, he and his young family have walked with the local chapter of Run for Their Lives. It felt like they’d found their community.
“Seeing people walk, being a part of the walks, really made us feel like we didn’t have to hide,” he said.
But things changed after a firebombing attack last week injured 15 people and sent several to the hospital. State and federal authorities charged Mohamed Sabry Soliman with attempted murder and a hate crime after he allegedly threw Molotov cocktails at peaceful demonstrators while shouting “Free Palestine.”
Dagan and his family were out of the country when the attack happened, and the texts started pouring in. He said they immediately wondered who was there and if they were okay before shock settled in.
“Just coming to terms with the fact that this type of hate, unfortunately, has spread to so many corners of the world that it’s really hard to feel safe,” he said.
But Dagan said the tragedy has also brought people together. About 15,000 people gathered in downtown Boulder on Sunday to honor the victims of the attack and celebrate the city’s 30th annual Jewish festival, according to organizers.
“We’re not going to let even something so terrible take away our pride – our ability to persevere and to move forward with love,” he said.
A much larger crowd than usual joined the local Run for Their Lives chapter for a shorter version of the regular walk. They included people from the Denver chapter, politicians and those who witnessed and were injured in the attack.
When walkers reached the plaza, near the site of the attack, they broke out into prayer and song. A rabbi read the Hebrew names of the victims.
Run for Their Lives organizers also used the event to reiterate their calls to return the hostages. Moshe Lavi, with the Hostage Family Forum, spoke about his brother-in-law, Omri Miran, who was kidnapped by Hamas on Oct. 7 and is believed to still be alive in Gaza. Videos featuring more family members of hostages shared with Boulder attendees echoed from loudspeakers.
The focus on Run for Their Lives and healing was new for the annual Jewish festival, which usually emphasizes culture.
“It was more important than ever to come together and really have a moment to both experience the pain that we're feeling, as well as joy,” said Jonathan Lev, the executive director of the Boulder Jewish Community Center. “Those two things are really important to bring together right now. We need it more than ever.”
Organizers also wanted assurance that it would be safe to gather, and there was a noticeable police presence at Sunday’s event, including SWAT units, bomb squads, snipers on rooftops and drones overhead.
“It’s a lot, but we can’t let something else happen,” said Boulder Police Chief Stephen Redfearn. “This community needs to be able to drive and come together and remember what happened last week safely.”
Boulder resident Rachel Lederman found it distressing that such a large show of force was necessary.
“You can’t just celebrate who you are as a person without having to worry about being protected by guns and drones?” she questioned. “You know, that’s upsetting.”
Lederman didn’t come to the festival last year, but said it was important to show solidarity after the attack. She said the scene felt joyous, too. She danced in a circle, holding hands with other attendees. Children played in a water fountain, artists displayed goods, food stands served up shawarma and burgers, and a series of bands played live music.
“People are being very open and loving, and that’s very Boulder,” Lederman said.
