U.S. Airman Dies After Setting Himself on Fire in Gaza Protest
“I will no longer be complicit in genocide,” Aaron Bushnell, 25, said.
Mandel Ngan/Getty
Police have confirmed the death of an active-duty airman who set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., in a protest against the “genocide” in Gaza.
Aaron Bushnell, a 25-year-old based in San Antonio, Texas, walked up to the embassy building on Sunday afternoon in combat uniform, carrying a flask of inflammable liquid and a selfie stick with which he livestreamed his actions.
“My name is Aaron Bushnell,” he said. “I am an active-duty member of the United States Air Force and I will no longer be complicit in genocide.
“I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest, but compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers, it’s not extreme at all. This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal.”
After dousing himself in the liquid, he at first struggled to set alight to himself, screaming “Free Palestine!” as he was engulfed in flames.
Police took at least a minute to extinguish the flames before Bushnell was rushed to hospital. A police spokesman confirmed his death.
Get the best of The Beast delivered right to your inbox
By clicking “SUBSCRIBE” you agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
See more of our coverage in your search results.
Got a tip? Send it to The Daily Beast here.
Register below to read this article for free or subscribe
to unlock unlimited access to The Daily Beast.
Monthly
$1
First month then $5.99/month
Annual
$35
First year then $59.99/year
Premium
$79
First year then $119.99/year
*Substack access provided by the next business day, using your subscription email. Choosing the Premium plan constitutes your permission to share your subscription email with Substack and your agreement to Substack’s Privacy Policy.
Already have an account? Sign In
Looks like you already have a subscription!
You're all set!
Thanks for subscribing.