Colorado Rep. Discusses Boulder Attack

During an appearance on CNN’s “Laura Coates Live,” Colorado Democratic Representative Melat Quiros addressed criticism over his reluctance to label a recent incendiary attack in Boulder as anti-Semitic. He stated, “We’re not talking about what’s happening in Palestine.” Quiros emphasized that the violence directed at the Jewish community in relation to events in Palestine is making Jews feel less safe both locally and nationally. He expressed a commitment to fighting against this hatred, stressing the need to reject any conflation of national actions with Jewish behavior.

Coates reminded him of a prior deadly attack in Boulder that targeted a demonstration for Israeli hostages. She noted that when asked if this week’s attack was anti-Semitic, Quiros had responded, “I don’t know what’s going on in the perpetrator’s mind,” which she believed lacked context. Coates pointed out that police reported the attacker shouted “Liberate Palestine” while using petrol bombs and expressed intentions to “kill the entire Zionist people.” She asked how he stands by his comment amid such criticisms.

Quiros condemned the Boulder attack as horrific and said it left many in the Jewish community feeling extremely unsafe. He recognized that such events contribute to a rise in anti-Semitism across the nation and stated his commitment to defending the dignity of all lives while standing firm with Jewish communities against growing hatred.

Coates pressed him further, indicating that based on his description, the incident could be categorized as anti-Semitic, and asked why he didn’t explicitly confirm that. In response, Quiros reiterated his focus on the ongoing violence toward the Jewish people due to the situation in Palestine, insisting that it is crucial to combat this hatred and the misconceptions associating Jewish communities with state actions.