Thousands of people gathered in the city center of Boulder on Sunday, while a group aware of the hostages captured by Hamas in Gaza held its regular weekly a week after a violent attack shook the community. He also coincided with the annual Boulder Jewish festival.
Many Sundays since Alon Dagan moved to Boulder six months ago, he and his young family walked with the local chapter of Run for their lives. It was as if they had found their community.
“Seeing people walk, being part of the walks, really made us feel that we didn’t have to hide,” he said.
But things changed after an attack on fire bombs last week injured 15 people and sent several to the hospital. States and federal authorities charged Mohamed Sabry Soliman for an attempted murder and a hatred crime after allegedly throwing Molotov cocktails on peaceful demonstrators while shouting “free Palestine”.
Dagan and his family were outside the country when the attack occurred, and the texts began to flock. He said they immediately wondered who was there and if they went well before the shock settled.
“The simple fact of reconciling with the fact that this type of hatred, unfortunately, has spread to so many corners of the world that it is really difficult to feel safe,” he said.
But Dagan said the tragedy had also gathered people. According to the organizers, around 15,000 people gathered in downtown Boulder to honor the victims of the attack and celebrate the 30th annual Jewish festival of the city, according to the organizers.
“We are not going to let something so terrible remove our pride-our ability to persevere and go forward with love,” he said.
A much larger crowd than usual has joined the local Run for They Lives chapter for a shorter version of the ordinary walk. They understood people of the chapter of Denver, politicians and those who were witnesses and were injured in the attack.
When the walkers reached the place, near the attack site, they broke out in prayer and singing. A rabbi has read the Hebrew names of the victims.
Running for their lives, the organizers also used the event to repeat their calls to return the hostages. Moshe Lavi, with the hostage family forum, spoke of his brother-in-law, Omri Miran, who was kidnapped by Hamas on October 7 and would still be alive in Gaza. Videos featuring more members of the family of hostages shared with the participants in Boulder echoed loudspeakers.
The emphasis on the race for their lives and their healing was new for the annual Jewish festival, which generally emphasizes culture.
“It was more important than ever to come together and have really for a while to feel both the pain we feel, as well as joy,” said Jonathan Lev, executive director of Boulder Jewish Community Center. “These two things are really important to bring together at the moment. We need it more than ever. ”
The organizers also wanted the assurance that it would be sure to come together, and there was a notable police presence during the Sunday event, including Swat units, bombs squads, elite shooters on roofs and drones above.
“It’s a lot, but we cannot let anything happen,” said Boulder police chief Stephen Redfearn. “This community must be able to drive and meet and remember what happened last week in complete safety.”
The resident of Boulder, Rachel Lederman, found painful that such a great demonstration of force was necessary.
“You can’t just celebrate who you are as a person without having to worry about being protected by firearms and drones?” she interviewed. “You know, it’s overwhelming.”
Lederman did not come to the festival last year, but said it was important to show solidarity after the attack. She said the scene was so joyful. She danced in a circle, holding her hand with other participants. The children played in a water fountain, artists displayed products, food stands served in the Shawarma and the Hamburgers, and a series of groups played live music.
“People are very open and loving, and it’s very rock,” said Lederman.
