"Free Palestine!" US Airman self-immolates before Israeli Embassy
He is the second American to self-immolate in protest against Israel's genocide of Palestine
Aaron Bushnell was a member of the US Airforce. On Sunday afternoon, he self-immolated in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington “in an act of extreme protest” against the genocide of the Palestinian people: “I will not be complicit in genocide.”
He live-streamed his self-immolation, posing his phone on the ground before dousing himself in a liquid, setting himself on fire and shouting: “Free Palestine! Free Palestine! Free Palestine!”
Aaron stayed standing for over one minute while voices off-camera shout at him to get on the ground. Then come shouts for someone to get a fire extinguisher. Three figures then appear on camera. One is an Israeli guard, holding his aim at Aaron, who lies motionless on the ground.
When first responders arrive, we hear them say: “I need fire extinguishers, not guns!”
Aaron died from his injuries in hospital today. He is the second person to have self-immolated protesting Israel’s genocide of the Palestinian people. The first was a woman in November, who self-immolated outside of the Israeli embassy in Texas. The story did not make the news and there were no follow-ups.
Aaron live-streamed his protest on Twitch and forced international coverage. Most mainstream headlines did not assert Aaron’s reasons for protest.
In one Guardian article, the staff journalists wrote Aaron was “shouting about Palestine” as he set himself on fire. The article was amended after Twitter users, including Greek politician, Yanis Varoufakis, criticised them.
Last month The Intercept revealed that Biden’s government had deployed the US Air Force to assist with airstrikes.
30,000 people have been killed in Gaza since October 7. The Israelis are preparing an assault on Rafah which is now housing 1.5 million refugees. Israel has illegally blocked aid into Gaza. Famine looms and Palestinians are dying of starvation and disease while Israeli military pose for photos with their underwear. Israel has defied the ICJ ruling to prevent genocide, claiming they are being discriminated against.
Today, Israeli military opened fire on a crowd of Palestinians who were waiting for aid.
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so painful to watch - such a determined man with such incredible self-sacrificing integrity no longer willing to be part of genocide but also wanting to make such a public incredible statement about what continues to go on in Palestine - I am shocked to see this film representing his voice - God bless him and his family. I feel very sad and tearful.
I wonder if Aaron knew he was about to be deployed to Gaza, and he did not wish to be complicit to genocide. It shows you he had a conscience. RIP Aaron Bushnell.