“Morning Joe” co-host Joe Scarborough called the attack against pro-Israel rally-goers in Colorado — who were advocating for the release of hostages held by Hamas — “sickening” on MSNBC on Monday morning.
“If this isn’t an act of terrorism, I don’t know what is,” Scarborough said.
His comments came the morning after four men and four women, ranging in age from 52 to 88, were attacked in Boulder, Colorado, with Molotov cocktails and a “makeshift flamethrower,” according to witnesses.
The suspect, 45-year-old Mohamed Sabry Soliman, was heard yelling “Free Palestine,” according to FBI Special Agent in Charge Mike Michalek; he added it was “clear this is a targeted act of violence.”
Soliman was also seen on video yelling “we have to end Zionists” in a video that went viral on X. The Egyptian national was in the country illegally, Fox News reported; Soliman entered the U.S. in 2022 and his work permit to remain in the country expired in March.
The burned victims were attacked at a walk to remember the hostages who were captured by Hamas during its attack against Israel on Oct. 7, 2023.
Despite the suspect’s comments and his targeting of a walk for Israeli hostages, NBC News correspondent Morgan Chesky told “Morning Joe” the motive for the attack “still remains unclear.”
A moment after Chesky’s appearance, though, Scarborough shared his thoughts. He also noted that Sunday’s attack was the latest targeting Jews in the U.S., coming a little more than a week after two Israeli diplomats were gunned down in Washington, D.C.
