He was reportedly protesting the ongoing war in Gaza
Police officers outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC on February 25, 2024. © Celal Gunes / Anadolu / Getty Images
A man has been hospitalized in critical condition after setting himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC on Sunday, the city’s emergency services said.
Vito Maggiolo, a spokesman for DC Fire and EMS, told reporters that the man has been hospitalized with “critical life-threatening injuries.”
Independent journalist Talia Jane said she obtained the footage of the incident, which shows that the man was wearing a military uniform and described himself as “an active duty member of the US Air Force.”
According to Jane, the man said “I will no longer be complicit in genocide” and shouted “Free Palestine.” The journalist posted a graphic photo of a man engulfed in flames.
A spokesperson for the US Air Force told the website Task & Purpose that they could not confirm if the man was a service member.
Multiple pro-Palestine protests were held outside Israeli missions abroad after Israel launched its military campaign against the militant group Hamas in the Gaza Strip in October 2023. The protesters have been demanding a ceasefire in Gaza, highlighting the staggering civilian death toll. In early December, a man set himself on fire in front of the Israeli consulate in Atlanta, Georgia.
Pro-Israeli demonstrations were also held in Washington and other cities, where people mourned the Israelis killed by Hamas and demanded the release of hostages taken by the group during its attack on October 7, which triggered the ongoing war.
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