An active-duty member of the US Air Force on Sunday set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington DC, media reports said.
“The Metropolitan Police Department responded to the 3500 block of International Drive, NW, at approximately 1:00 pm, to assist the United States Secret Service after an individual set themselves on fire in front of an embassy in the block,” the Washington Metropolitan Police Department said in a statement to CNN.
In a video of the incident, obtained and reviewed by CNN, the man identifies himself as Aaron Bushnell and says, “I will no longer be complicit in genocide”, before going on to say that what he’s about to do is minimal compared with the suffering of Palestinians.
The man is seen putting the recording device on the ground and then putting a liquid over himself.
He then ignites himself while repeatedly yelling ‘Free Palestine’.
He eventually collapses to the ground and the police rush to douse the flame.
Rose Riley, a spokesperson for the US Air Force, told CNN, “I can confirm an active duty Airman was involved in today’s incident.”
The man was transported to a local hospital for treatment where his condition is said to be critical.
No embassy staff members were injured, and all were accounted for, according to Tal Naim, a spokeswoman for the embassy told The New York Times.
Israel is waging a war against Hamas members in Gaza after the group attacked and killed 1,200 people in Israel on October 7.
Last year a protester had set himself on fire in front of the Israeli consulate in Georgia.
