Colorado Attorney General Phil Weiser has publicly criticized Democratic Socialist congressional candidate Melat Kiros over her refusal to describe a 2025 firebombing attack on Jewish activists in Boulder as anti-Semitic, highlighting growing tensions within the state’s Democratic Party over how acts of political violence and hate are addressed.
Weiser’s comments came days after he defeated Sen. Michael Bennet in the Democratic primary for governor and as Kiros gained national attention for unseating a 15-term incumbent in a congressional primary.
Interview
The dispute follows a televised interview last week on 9News, where anchor Kyle Clark questioned Kiros about past statements on Israel and political violence. During the interview, Kiros referred to the October 7 Hamas attack on Israel as the “inevitable consequence of apartheid,” while also saying she did not believe Israel deserved the attack.
Kiros also compared the September 11 attacks to what she described as the consequences of U.S. actions in the Middle East, comments that prompted criticism from several quarters.
Clark later asked Kiros about the 2025 Boulder firebombing that targeted a Jewish group, leaving several people injured and one person dead. Kiros declined to label the attack as anti-Semitic, saying she did not know the attacker’s motivation.
Response
Speaking Wednesday night, Weiser was asked about Kiros’s remarks and whether he saw anti-Semitism in her statements. He responded by directly addressing the Boulder attack and said the issue was personal to him.
Weiser said the June 1 attack was an anti-Semitic hate crime and noted that he knew Karen Diamond, the victim who was killed, as well as her husband, Lou Diamond. He emphasized that the judicial process had resulted in a conviction and that the attack had been formally classified as a hate crime.
He added that failing to acknowledge the nature of the crime raised concerns for him.
Context
Weiser drew parallels to broader conversations about recognizing hate crimes, referencing the Black Lives Matter movement as an example of naming harm clearly and without qualification. He said Jewish lives should be afforded the same clarity and recognition.
According to Weiser, there should be no ambiguity when addressing acts of violence that target people based on identity, and he said that would be his position in any future conversation with Kiros.
Outlook
Kiros has not publicly responded to Weiser’s comments. The exchange reflects deeper divisions within the Democratic Party in Colorado as progressive and more traditional Democrats debate foreign policy, rhetoric, and how to respond to acts of political violence.
With both candidates now holding prominent positions after decisive primary victories, the disagreement is likely to continue shaping intraparty discussions in the months ahead.
FAQs
Who is Phil Weiser?
He is Colorado’s attorney general and Democratic nominee for governor.
Who is Melat Kiros?
A Democratic Socialist candidate who won a Colorado congressional primary.
What incident sparked the dispute?
A 2025 firebombing attack on a Jewish group in Boulder.
What did Weiser say about the attack?
He said it was an anti-Semitic hate crime.
Has Kiros responded to Weiser’s comments?
She has not publicly responded so far.
