Boulder “Run for Their Lives” Changes Weekly Walk Plans Amid Escalating Threats
Following weeks of escalating harassment and threats, the Boulder chapter of Run for Their Lives announced this week that future walks will no longer be publicly advertised and will take place under heavy security at undisclosed locations. The decision comes less than three months after a Molotov cocktail attack on the weekly walk left one person dead and 15 injured.
Since October 7, 2023, Boulder residents have joined thousands worldwide in peaceful, apolitical weekly walks to call attention to the hostages still held in Gaza by Hamas. For nearly two years, these walks have been the symbol of resilience and solidarity. Now organizers say they can no longer safely gather in public.
In recent weeks, anti-Israel protesters, including a candidate for Boulder City Council, have stalked and screamed vile insults at participants, even mentioning organizers’ children. The Jewish Community Relations Council (JCRC) has reviewed videos where protestors hurled slurs like “genocidal c**t,” “racist,” and “Nazi.” The harassment has spilled into Boulder City Council meetings, where Jewish residents have been intimidated and bullied.
“This walk has already been the target of deadly violence. Now participants are facing a level of harassment that makes it impossible to continue safely in public view,” said Brandon Rattiner, Senior Director of the JCRC. “We call on everyone who condemned the dehumanization of Jews and the rise of political violence after the attack to stand with us again now. Intimidation and hate have no place in Boulder, in Colorado, or in our democracy.”
“It is unacceptable that less than three months after a deadly antisemitic attack, Jews in Boulder are once again being forced into hiding,” said Stefanie Clarke, Co-Executive Director of Stop Antisemitism Colorado. “We will not be intimidated, and we will not be driven out of public spaces where we should feel safe. The fact that someone seeking a seat on City Council is at the center of this harassment should be cause for alarm. Boulder cannot claim to be a city of inclusion and justice while giving a platform to Jew hate.”