What Is A Molotov Cocktail, Used By Suspect To Attack Pro-Israel Protestors In Colorado?

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Last Updated:June 02, 2025, 11:40 IST

In Boulder, Colorado, Mohamed Sabry Soliman threw Molotov cocktails at a demonstration for Israeli hostages in Gaza, injuring six.

A violent incident unfolded in Boulder, Colorado, during a demonstration to remember the Israeli hostages who remain in Gaza, when a man threw incendiary devices into a crowd, leaving six injured.

The police officials and FBI are investigating as an act of terrorism. The suspect, identified as 45-year-old Mohamed Sabry Soliman, yelled “Free Palestine" and threw Molotov cocktails at participants, causing multiple injuries, including severe burns. The suspect was apprehended at the scene.

Several videos have emerged on social media showing the suspect holding Molotov cocktails in his hand. The 45-year-old was himself also reportedly injured.

What Happened In Boulder?

According to the witnesses, a man threw an object similar to a homemade Molotov cocktail at the protesters who were peacefully demanding the release of Israeli hostages who have been held captive by Hamas.

The videos surfacing from the spot of the attack showed people in panic as they ran to safety.

Brooke Coffman, a 19-year-old at the University of Colorado who witnessed the Boulder incident, told news agency Reuters she saw four women lying or sitting on the ground with burns on their legs. One of them appeared to have been badly burned on most of her body and had been wrapped in a flag by someone, she said.

She described seeing a man whom she presumed to be the attacker standing in the courtyard shirtless, holding a glass bottle of clear liquid and shouting.

“Everybody is yelling, ‘get water, get water,'" Coffman said.

What Are Molotov Cocktails?

A Molotov cocktail is a basic homemade firebomb. It’s usually a glass bottle packed with a flammable liquid like gasoline, alcohol, or kerosene, and then sealed with a cloth wick.

The wick is ignited before the bottle is thrown, and upon impact, the bottle shatters, dispersing the burning liquid and causing a fireball effect.

According to the American historian William Trotter, the phrase comes from Finnish, where it is called “Molotovin koktaili." The term was coined by the Finns during the Winter War (1939–1940) between Finland and the Soviet Union.

Foreign Minister Vyacheslav Molotov had claimed that Soviet bombers were delivering ‘airborne humanitarian food parcels’ to Finland.

In response, the Finns sarcastically dubbed the Soviet bombs ‘Molotov’s bread baskets’ and began referring to their homemade incendiary devices as ‘Molotov cocktails’—a drink to accompany Molotov’s ‘food parcels’.

The outnumbered Finnish population developed the firebomb as a means to easily attack and destroy Soviet tanks, which were fueled by gasoline and were extremely flammable.

Over time, the Molotov cocktail became a symbol of resistance against oppressive regimes. It was used by various groups, including the Hungarian revolutionaries in 1956, the Czechoslovakians during the Prague Spring, and the Palestinians in their struggle against Israeli forces. In recent history, it has been employed in protests worldwide, from the George Floyd protests in the US to the 2019–2020 Hong Kong protests.

Shobhit Gupta

Shobhit Gupta is a sub-editor at News18.com and covers India and International news. He previously worked with Hindustan Times Digital (HTDS) and NDTV. He is interested in day to day political affairs in India ...Read More

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