According to officials, an individual serving in the United States military has reportedly self-immolated outside the Israeli embassy in Washington, DC, in what appears to be a protest against Israel’s intense conflict in Gaza.
Aaron Bushnell, aged 25, was swiftly transported to the hospital on Sunday with “critical life-threatening injuries,” as reported by the fire department of the US capital.
Emergency responders were dispatched to the location shortly before 1pm (18:00 GMT) following a report of a “person on fire outside the Israeli embassy.” Upon arrival, they discovered that The flames had already been extinguished by the US Secret Service.
During the video, he stated, “I refuse to be complicit in the genocide in Gaza. I am going to participate in an extreme form of protest,” before setting himself on fire and loudly chanting “Free Palestine!”
Subsequently, the unsettling video was taken down from the streaming platform due to violations of the app’s policies.
Who is the person?
The person, whose name was mentioned in the video but has not been publicly disclosed, matches the name of an active-duty Air Force officer from Texas, as indicated by a LinkedIn profile cited by the Times. An Air Force spokesperson confirmed the individual’s status as an active-duty airman, yet his identity remains unverified.
Neither the Metropolitan Police Department (MPD) nor DC Fire and EMS provided comments on the issue.
The Metropolitan Police Department, in conjunction with the US Secret Service, responded to the emergency, and their bomb squad conducted an inspection of a suspicious vehicle in the vicinity. They verified that no hazardous materials were discovered.
Israel embassy as the focal point
The Israeli embassy has become a focal point for ongoing demonstrations amid the conflict in Gaza.
In the United States, there have been rallies both in support of Palestinians and in support of Israelis. These protests started after an incident on October 7, when Hamas, the governing faction in Gaza, carried out a cross-border raid, resulting in 1,200 Israeli casualties and the abduction of 253 individuals. In response, Israeli military operations in Gaza have caused extensive destruction, with nearly 30,000 reported fatalities according to Palestinian health officials. Additionally, during December, a protester set themselves on fire in front of the Israeli Consulate in Atlanta.
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