John Hickenlooper: “our Colorado community is reeling from a heinous hate crime against the Jewish community in Boulder, CO. On Sunday, 12…”

“our Colorado community is reeling from a heinous hate crime against the Jewish community in Boulder, CO. On Sunday, 12 Coloradans were badly injured after a suspect threw Molotov cocktails, incendiary devices, into a crowd, specifically targeting the Jewish people there--a targeted, anti-Semitic attack. The 12 individuals were part of a peaceful march in Boulder that happens every week to call for the release of Israeli hostages in Gaza. The suspect has since told investigators that he planned the terrorist attack for over a year; that he specifically wanted to target the Run for Their Lives group, this group that had been meeting every week lobbying for the release of hostages. Bottom line, this attack was not random. It was a deliberate hate crime against the Jewish community that was planned for months. The scope of that hatred is unconscionable. These were men and women who dedicated their time to advocating for innocent hostages who have been now held in captivity for over 600 days. Most importantly, the demonstrators were motivated by a desire for peace and were operating in a peaceful fashion. Let me repeat that. These men and women wanted peace. Instead, they were met with horrifying and senseless violence. The upswing in violence targeting the Jewish community needs to be condemned at every level. And now, anti-Semitism and the hate that comes with it has taken root at home in Colorado. But Colorado is not alone.…”