US airman dies after setting himself on fire outside Israeli embassy in Washington

US airman dies after setting himself on fire outside Israeli embassy in Washington

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REUTERS
Oliver Trapnell

By Oliver Trapnell


Published: 26/02/2024

- 13:30

Updated: 26/02/2024

- 13:58

The active soldier yelled ‘Free Palestine’ before setting himself ablaze

A US military service member has died after he set himself on fire, in an apparent act of protest against the war in Gaza.

In horrifying footage shared on social media, the airman can be seen setting himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington on Sunday afternoon.


The man was transported to an area hospital after the fire was put out by US Secret Service officers.

Although the man was first admitted to hospital in critical condition, he has now died.

Moment before US Airman sets himself on fire outside Israeli embassy in Washington

Moment before US airman sets himself on fire outside Israeli embassy in Washington

Twitter

“I will no longer be complicit in genocide,” said the man, wearing military fatigues, in a video he broadcasted live over the internet.

He then doused himself in a clear liquid and set himself on fire, screaming “Free Palestine”.

An Air Force spokesperson confirmed that the incident involved an active-duty airman.

Local police and the Secret Service continue to investigate the incident.

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The US airman can be seen dousing himself in a fluid

The US airman can be seen dousing himself in a fluid

Twitter

In the video, the man self-identifies as Aaron Bushnell, 25, but officials have yet to formally identify him.

A spokeswoman for the embassy said no staff members were injured in the incident.

Israel's embassy has been the target of continued protest against the war in Gaza. The war in Gaza has led to pro-Palestinian and pro-Israeli protests in the United States.

The protests started after October 7 when Hamas, the Palestinian Islamist group that rules Gaza, killed 1,200 Israelis and seized 253 hostages in a cross-border attack.

Since then, Israeli forces have waged a military campaign against the coastal enclave, laying much of it to waste, with nearly 30,000 people dead, according to Palestinian health officials.

In December, a protester set herself on fire outside the Israeli Consulate in Atlanta.

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