Joint Statement on Thursday’s Guilty Plea

Today, the attacker responsible for the June 1, 2025, antisemitic firebombing of the Boulder Run for Their Lives (BRFTL) group on Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall pleaded guilty to all related state charges. For almost two years, both before and after this attack, the members of the BRFTL group led a peaceful humanitarian walk advocating for the release of the hostages kidnapped by Hamas from Israel on October 7, 2023. He has been sentenced to life without parole, and the maximum sentence available under the law of over 2,000 years.

Our hearts remain with the loved ones of Karen Diamond, may her memory be a blessing, whose life was taken as a result of this horrific act, and with the 28 survivors who continue to carry the physical and emotional scars of the attack. With the one-year anniversary approaching, we know this week is heavy for many in our community. We see you. We are with you.

We are deeply grateful to Boulder County District Attorney Michael Dougherty and his team for their tireless commitment to justice and for the care and sensitivity they have shown to our community every step of the way. We are also grateful to Chief of Police Stephen Redfearn and the entire Boulder Police Department, first responders, the FBI, and all of the law enforcement partners who have stood with us throughout this process.

We also want to take a moment to recognize the security professionals, guards, and all those who show up every single day to keep our Jewish community safe, including ADL and Secure Community Network (SCN), which, with the support of JEWISHcolorado, monitors the safety of Jewish organizations nationwide. They make it possible for our community to gather, celebrate, and move through the world with greater strength and reassurance. Safety and security remain a top priority for our community, not just in moments of crisis but every day. 

Since June 1, we have witnessed something we will never forget. In the wake of unimaginable tragedy, this community showed up: neighbors, faith leaders, elected officials, and people from across the country and around the world. That solidarity carried us through our darkest moments, and it sustains us still.

This guilty plea and sentencing do not erase our pain. But it matters. It tells our community that acts of hate-fueled terror and antisemitic violence will not be tolerated and will be met with significant consequences. We hope that this outcome helps the survivors as they continue their ongoing healing process and brings some comfort to Jews around the world who face antisemitism every single day. 

As leaders of the Jewish community, we remain committed to building a future where we can safely live, gather, and find joy together. 

In solidarity,

Barbara Steinmetz, Boulder Run For the Lives Participant and June 1 Injured
Brandon Rattiner, JCRC
Ed Victor, Boulder Run For the Lives Participant and June 1 Survivor
Eldad Malka, Israeli-American Council
Elyana Funk, CU Boulder Hillel
Jonathan Lev, Boulder JCC
Josh Gold, Judaism Your Way
Linda Foster, Jewish Family Service
Lisa Turnquist, Boulder Run For the Lives Participant and June 1 Survivor
Michelle Goldman, Boulder Run For the Lives Participant and June 1 Survivor
Miri Kornfeld, StandWithUs Colorado
Rabbi Alan Shavit-Lonstein, Adventure Judaism
Rabbi Caryn Aviv, Judaism Your Way
Rabbi Charna Rosenholtz, Haver: Boulder’s Rabbinic and Cantorial Council
Rabbi Diane Tiferet Lakein, Congregation Nevei Kodesh
Rabbi Fred Greene, Congregation Har HaShem
Rabbi Jamie Korngold, Adventure Judaism
Rabbi Marc Soloway, Congregation Bonai Shalom
Rabbi Pesach Scheiner, Boulder County Center for Judaism
Rabbi Yakov Borenstein, Chabad Jewish Center of Longmont
Rabbi Yisroel and Leah Wilhelm, Chabad Jewish Student Center at University of Colorado
Rachel, Baruch, and Ayla Cohen, Boulder Run For the Lives Participants and June 1 Survivors
Renee Rockford, JEWISHcolorado
Sheila Malcolm, Beth Ami – Colorado Congregation for Humanistic Judaism
Stefanie Clarke and Mindy Miller, Colorado Jewish Action Alliance
Susan Rona, ADL Mountain States