The U.S. Air Force said that a 25-year-old active-duty airman died Sunday after lighting himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C. to protest Gaza civilian losses.
The New York Times said that San Antonio resident Aaron Bushnell live-streamed the demonstration on Twitch, but it could not identify the account. According to the footage, Bushnell is an active-duty Air Force officer wearing fatigues. The Times said that U.S. Air Force spokesperson Ann Stefanek verified Bushnell's active-duty status on Sunday.
“I will no longer be complicit in genocide,” the video man declares. I am going to engage in an extreme act of protest, but it's not severe compared to what Palestinians have gone through at the hands of their colonizers.” He shouts "Free Palestine!" after setting himself on fire.
Police rushed to put out the flames. Twitch pulled the video and replaced it with a notice saying the channel broke its rules. A spokeswoman for the Israeli Embassy said no staff members were hurt.
Police said a person set themself on fire outside the Israeli Consulate in Atlanta in December, calling it “likely an extreme act of political protest.”
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