Boulder council issues three declarations on racial healing and antisemitism as public comments expose sharp divisions

Boulder City Council on Jan. 16 read and issued three declarations marking National Day of Racial Healing (Jan. 21, 2025), International Holocaust Remembrance Day (Jan. 27, 2025) and a formal declaration condemning antisemitism.

Mayor Pro Tem Nuria Folkerts presented the National Day of Racial Healing declaration and emphasized the city’s commitment to racial equity and healing. Pastor James Ray of Second Baptist Church accepted that declaration on behalf of community recipients and called for truth and transformation in race relations.

Councilmember Matt Benjamin read a declaration condemning antisemitism and the council also read the International Holocaust Remembrance Day proclamation, which memorializes the 6 million Jewish victims of the Holocaust and other victims of Nazi persecution. “We condemn antisemitism, hatred and bigotry in all of its forms,” the council’s proclamation said.

Local Jewish and civil‑rights leaders addressed the council following the declarations. Stephanie Clark, co‑founder of Stop Antisemitism Colorado, praised the council’s action and said repeated disruptions at recent council meetings had created an unsafe environment for Jewish residents. “The constant disruptions, intimidation tactics, and blatant antisemitic rhetoric have not only created an unsafe environment but have repeatedly derailed the essential business of our city government,” Clark said.

Susan Rona, regional director of the Anti‑Defamation League (ADL) Mountain States, told council that the ADL logged more than 900 contacts in 2024 reporting anti‑Jewish incidents in the region — the most in the office’s history since 1941 — and urged the city to take the declarations as a first step to concrete safety and education efforts. Jonathan Lev, executive director of the Boulder JCC, accepted the declaration and urged continuing steps to protect Jewish families and civic life.

Public comment following the declarations produced more than an hour of testimony and sharp divisions. Some speakers said they welcomed the council’s statements and said the declarations were necessary responses to threats and harassment affecting local Jewish residents and institutions. Others used the open‑comment period to criticize Israeli government conduct in Gaza and to urge the city to take actions such as divestment, to call for a permanent ceasefire, or to stop municipal investments that they claim support the Israeli military. These speakers explicitly separated their criticism of Israeli policy from opposition to Jewish residents; some speakers urged the council to address U.S. foreign‑policy choices.

Others at the microphone condemned those calls for divestment and described many recent demonstrations and chants as antisemitic. Roman Moshevich, who immigrated from the former Soviet Union and described his family’s experience with state‑sponsored antisemitism, said certain modern accusations — including charges that Israel is committing genocide — can echo old antisemitic tropes. “The perpetrators of these crimes need to be swiftly condemned and dealt with in accordance with our laws,” Moshevich said.

The public‑comment record also included direct appeals about safety in council chambers: Stephanie Clark said she had remote‑participated because of safety concerns and reported threats and intimidation targeted at Jewish council members and community leaders. Several callers asked the city to adopt concrete follow‑up measures — for example, stronger enforcement of meeting decorum, additional security at events and schools, and community education programs — rather than only issuing proclamations.

Council members acknowledged the breadth of public feeling and said the declarations were intended as statements of values. Some council members emphasized that ceremonial declarations do not change city law but said they should be paired with follow‑up measures. After open comment, council staff said staff would provide additional follow‑up information on security and related topics and flagged that city staff would respond on questions about other operational matters raised during public comment.

What the council declared

- National Day of Racial Healing — Jan. 21, 2025: presented by Mayor Pro Tem Nuria Folkerts; accepted by Pastor James Ray (Second Baptist Church).

- International Holocaust Remembrance Day — Jan. 27, 2025: read by Councilmember Marklis (as announced in the meeting) and noted as being the anniversary of the liberation of Auschwitz.

- Declaration condemning antisemitism: read by Councilmember Matt Benjamin and presented to representatives from Stop Antisemitism Colorado, the ADL Mountain States regional office and the Boulder JCC.

Context and next steps

The declarations came amid a national increase in reported antisemitic incidents and local incidents the ADL documented. Council members and community leaders said that beyond symbolic statements, the city will need to consider concrete steps — including safety protocols for schools and meeting spaces, community education, and better enforcement of meeting decorum — to address the concerns raised in public comment.

The council also heard separate operational information at the start of the meeting: city staff announced an extreme‑weather sheltering operation for an incoming cold snap (see separate item). Staff said additional transportation capacity and partner facilities would be used.

Reporting note

This article reports actions and verbatim quotes drawn from the Jan. 16, 2025 Boulder City Council meeting public record. Quotations are attributed to speakers recorded in the council transcript and public comments.