An active member of the US Air Force set himself on fire in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington on Sunday as a sign of protest against the war in Gaza, according to numerous US media.
“I will no longer be an accomplice in genocide. I am about to embark on an extreme act of protest, but compared to what people are experiencing in Palestine at the hands of the colonizers, this is not extreme at all. This is what our ruling elite has decided is going to be normal,” 25-year-old Aaron Bushnell said before setting himself on fire.
A video showing his protest appearance and the moment Bushnell caught fire went viral.
The fire was extinguished by Secret Service personnel, and Bushnell was later taken to a hospital with “critical, life-threatening injuries,” according to the Washington Department of Fire and Emergency Medical Services.
According to information that Anadolu news agency received from officials of the fire and emergency services in Washington, the incident was reported to the fire service around 1 pm local time.
The report said that an adult man set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in Washington.
“Upon arriving at the scene, we saw that the fire had been extinguished by uniformed members of the Secret Service,” said the unnamed official.
Multiple reports said the man shouted “Free Palestine” before setting himself on fire.
The Washington Post reported that Air Force spokeswoman Rose M. Riley confirmed that it was an active-duty airman.
In a video broadcast on the Twitch live platform, but which was later removed, Bushnell said that he “will no longer be an accomplice in genocide”, in relation to the Israeli killings in Gaza.
Local authorities have announced that an investigation into the case is ongoing.
In December 2023, a person set himself on fire in front of the Israeli consulate in Atlanta, USA in protest against Israel’s attacks in the Gaza Strip.
Photo ©️ AA
