Infamous “Squad” Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) recently issued a reaction to the attack on individuals calling for the release of Israeli hostages still in Hamas captivity during a demonstration held in Boulder, Colorado, this past weekend. She stated in a post on social media that she was “horrified” by the attack.
“My heart is with the victims and our Jewish communities across the country,” the post said. “Antisemitism is on the rise here at home, and we have a moral responsibility to confront and stop it everywhere it exists.”
One person who wasn’t impressed by the reaction was former Major League Baseball star Kevin Youkilis. The two-time World Series winner, who is himself Jewish, called out AOC and demanded to know what she, personally, has done to confront those who are calling for intifada in the city of New York.
“Jews are targeted with violence and it’s the same virtue signal post time and time again,” he wrote in his response to her reaction on X. “What have you done to confront those calling for intifadas in NYC? Until you create a plan of action, your repeated virtue signaling after the violence occurs holds no weight.”
Youkilis is primarily known for the time he spent playing for the Boston Red Sox, but the final year of his career was spent playing for the New York Yankees.
Youkilis was asked what action he wanted to see Ocasio-Cortez take, to which he responded, “Confront the radical mobs chanting for intifadas in NYC.”
“That would be brave leadership, but we know politicians, on both sides of the aisle, shy away in fear of losing votes and power,” he added.
“In the midst of last year’s chaos at Columbia University, Ocasio-Cortez called anti-Israel agitators on campus ‘peaceful.’ The message came as Jewish students were recommended to stay home as students were caught on camera sympathizing with Hamas. The FBI described Sunday’s violence as a ‘targeted terror attack.’ Mohamed Sabry Soliman, 45, was accused of using homemade incendiary devices to light eight people on fire as they gathered to advocate for the return of Israeli hostages in Hamas captivity in a daytime attack at Boulder’s Pearl Street Mall,” Fox reported.
Videos of the Boulder attack show a man, shirtless, standing with a menacing posture and holding two more devices after the first assault on bystanders, while someone in the crowd of people recorded him.
Local authorities eventually swarmed the scene, and Soliman surrendered. The suspect first arrived in the U.S. on a non-immigrant visa in August 2022. That visa expired in February 2023, but instead of leaving the country, he decided to stay.
Soliman then received a work permit from U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services in March 2023 that was valid for a year, expiring in March 2024. Again, he decided to stay in the country illegally.
The suspect is now looking at multiple charges for his actions on Sunday.
Advocates had gathered for a Run for Their Lives event, which is a walk/run to help raise awareness and call on the government to provide assistance in freeing Israeli hostages who are in Hamas captivity. Victims of Soliman’s attack range in age from 52 to 88. One of them was previously listed in critical condition.
