A US Air Force member set himself on fire in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington, DC, on February 25. The horrifying incident was recorded in a video that was streamed live on Twitch. The man is seen wearing his uniform near the front gate of the Israeli embassy. US Secret Service officers were seen extinguishing the flames. Later, the man was taken to an area hospital. He was identified as a member of the US Air Force, which was confirmed by multiple US officials. An Air Force spokesperson also confirmed his being an active-duty airman.
UPDATE: I got footage of the self-immolation at the Israeli embassy in DC.
— Talia Jane
The individual, wearing fatigues, introduces himself as “an active duty member of the U.S. Air Force and I will no longer be complicit in genocide.”
After ignition, he repeatedly yells “Free Palestine.” https://t.co/wk5LGK4Hp2 pic.twitter.com/EX1L8zG8tR(@taliaotg) February 25, 2024
As per a Metropolitan Police Department spokesperson, the man is still in critical condition. Moreover, the local police and secret service are investigating the whole incident.
The video was removed from Twitch, stating a violation of the platform’s guidelines. It was the only video posted on that Twitch account and had a Palestinian flag on its header image. As reported by the New York Times, the man wearing a military uniform said,
I will no longer be complicit in genocide [in Gaza]. I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest,
before setting himself on fire. He was seen shouting “Free Palestine” as he burned.
While the identity of the man has still not been confirmed by the officials, the New York Times reported that it matches the LinkedIn account of an active-duty Air Force officer. In the video, authorities were also seen asking him to get down on the ground. He was seen being sprayed with a fire extinguisher by the officials.
No embassy staff members were injured in the incident. Notably, this is not the first time that Israel’s embassy has been targeted over the war in Gaza.
