In a dramatic protest outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, a man, identified as an active-duty airman, set himself on fire on Sunday afternoon. The Metropolitan Police Department reported the incident, stating that officers from the U.S. Secret Service swiftly intervened and extinguished the flames around 1 p.m.
The individual, whose identity remains undisclosed, was rushed to a nearby hospital with critical injuries. Thankfully, no embassy staff members were harmed during the incident, confirmed Tal Naim, a spokeswoman for the embassy.
The protest was captured on social media platform Twitch, where the individual voiced opposition to Israel’s military actions in Gaza. The livestreamed video depicted the man dousing himself in a clear liquid before igniting the flames while shouting “Free Palestine!”
Law enforcement officers were seen approaching the protester moments before the fire erupted, and efforts to extinguish the flames ensued promptly. However, the video was later removed from Twitch for violating community guidelines.
The protester, dressed in fatigues, has been linked to an active-duty Air Force officer based in Texas, according to his social media profiles.
Following the incident, authorities investigated a nearby vehicle for explosives, although the scene was declared clear by 4 p.m. Protests against Israeli actions in Gaza have been escalating nationwide, prompting calls for a humanitarian cease-fire amidst the worsening crisis.
While such protests have typically been peaceful, incidents like this highlight the intensity of emotions surrounding the Israel-Palestine conflict.
