This story was updated on Sept. 9, 2024, to include comments from CAIR-Colorado, the Colorado chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, and from Boulder City Manager Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde.
On Friday, Sept. 7, Boulder City Councilmember Tara Winer was assaulted on University Hill.
The incident happened at a ribbon-cutting ceremony for Nana’s Dim Sum & Dumplings on the Hill, something Winer said she was incredibly excited about because she loves Asian food and there’s not enough in Boulder. The event included a cultural celebration, with costumes and dancing by kids. About halfway through the celebration, a man in his 20s came and began yelling. Because of the proximity of the event to 13th Street, the man was able to get very close to the kids.
“He comes over and stars screaming racial slurs about Chinese people,” Winer said. “My mother bear came out. I was so mad.”
Winer has three grandchildren.
Winer said that Matt Jensen, a Boulder Chamber ambassador, tried to lead the man away. Winer followed and asked the man to turn around so she could take his picture. She wanted to send it to the Boulder Police Department because of his hate speech. The man ran up to her, punched her in the face and threw her to the ground “faster than you could say ‘peep.’”
Winer would later find out that the man had brandished a knife at Jensen. Parked cars hid Winer from the celebration, but thankfully, two security guards from Illegal Pete’s saw the incident and subdued the suspect. Winer called 911. The Boulder Police Department reported a third person was attacked, but no one was seriously injured.
Though she had badly bruised ribs and other bumps, Winer didn’t want to go to the hospital. “I wanted that dim sum really bad,” she said. “I was starting to get hungry.”
She let EMTs check her out on the scene, who verified she had bruised ribs but was otherwise okay.
Winer told Boulder Reporting Lab her decision to document the man for hate speech was partly prompted by her own experience of being called a white supremacist the night before at the Boulder City Council meeting on Sept. 5. This year, public comments at council meetings have often focused on urging the city to consider a ceasefire resolution in the Israel-Hamas war. Most councilmembers have opposed doing so. Winer said some protesters have targeted her because she is Jewish and opposes the city weighing in on a ceasefire resolution.
“I believe I should be focused on municipal issues,” she said. “I don’t want to talk about international affairs, that’s why I chose municipal government.”
Following the incident at the ribbon-cutting ceremony, CAIR-Colorado, the Colorado chapter of the Council on American-Islamic Relations, the nation’s largest Muslim civil rights and advocacy organization, condemned the attack.
“We condemn this alleged anti-Asian attack and stand in solidarity with the Asian American community as it is increasingly targeted by hate,” said CAIR-Colorado Board Chair Krista Cole in a news release. “Unfortunately, rising bigotry nationwide is resulting in violence targeting minority communities. This disturbing trend must be addressed by political and community leaders.”
Boulder City Manager Nuria Rivera-Vandermyde on Monday, Sept. 9, released a statement addressing the incident and emphasizing the ongoing need for collective effort “to make Boulder a truly welcoming and inclusive community.”
“This case is a sad reminder that racism and hate are all too present in our community and across the country. We cannot – and should not – remain silent when we witness hatred, whether it is xenophobia against the AAPI community or increased instances of Islamophobia and antisemitism,” she said. “The City of Boulder continues to stand against racism, xenophobia, discrimination, and intolerance in all its forms and against all peoples.”
Though the man who assaulted her was taken into custody, Winer told Boulder Reporting Lab the Boulder County Jail called her to tell her the suspect was out of jail on a PR Bond — also called “no cost bail.” The suspect faces felony menacing and assault charges, with potential bias-motivated charges under review.
“I believe he is a danger to the unhoused, to kids, he’s a danger,” Winer said, adding that the fact that the suspect was let off so quickly is something that must be dealt with at the state level, not at city council, but something that frustrates her nonetheless.
Yet while the incident may have highlighted many areas that deserve attention in Boulder, it also reiterated for Winer the beauty of the community here.
“I’ve gotten so much outreach from every side of the community,” she said. “So many texts, somebody just brought me flowers, people want to feed me. Somebody wanted to give me dessert and asked me what I like. I do love apple pie, so I said apple pie.”
Amazing he was released so quickly. He should at least have spent one night in prison – hopefully, a few weeks, months, or years will be his reward for assaulting this brave woman. And thank you, Winer, for your standing with Israel in a city that doesn’t seem to remember history and 6 million Jewish people being killed.
Mr Jones,
Are you sure you want to link Councilperson Winer to your pointlessly inflammatory statement regarding the Holocaust and Boulderites not seeming to remember history. Why make her more of a target for hate speech than she already is? She, and several other council persons, have been very consistent in maintaining that they were elected to deal with municipal issues.
Are there any details on the suspect?
When the decriminalization bill was passed it was never meant to include violent offenders. Yet somehow over the last few years, violent offenders especially if related to mental illness and addiction, are being released back out into the community. This is why we desperately need an inpatient treatment facility that works with our CJS that can involuntary hold and treat violent offenders.