US Airman Dies After Self-Immolation in Front of Israeli Embassy
Summary from the AllSides News Team
A U.S. Air Force member died after setting himself on fire and shouting “Free Palestine” in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C. on Sunday afternoon.
The Details: The man, identified by police as 25-year-old Aaron Bushnell, reportedly live-streamed himself on Twitch, saying, “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.” Video shows the man yelling “Free Palestine” after igniting himself. Secret Service members responded to the scene, along with D.C. Fire and EMS. An Air Force spokeswoman confirmed Bushnell’s death Sunday night.
For Context: Many Palestinians, and many of their supporters, see Israel's actions in the war against Hamas as a form of genocide or ethnic cleansing of Palestinians in the Gaza Strip. Bushnell appears to have been among them. These Palestinian supporters, mainly associated with the political left, have put pressure on President Joe Biden to cut off support for Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu.
How the Media Covered It: Coverage was common across the spectrum, with some sensationalism; a New York Post (Lean Right bias) homepage tagline read, “GRIM END.” Coverage sometimes varied in including more or less of the man’s pre-immolation statement; of articles reviewed by AllSides, The New York Times' (Lean Left bias) article appeared to include more of the quote than other outlets did. Independent journalist Talia Jane was cited as having first reported the Twitch video.
Featured Coverage of this Story
From the Left
US airman who set himself on fire outside Israeli embassy dies
A member of the United States air force who had set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in Washington in an apparent protest against Israel’s war in Gaza has died, the Pentagon says.
The 25-year-old airman, Aaron Bushnell of San Antonio, Texas, died from his injuries, the Metropolitan Police Department of Washington, DC, said on Monday.
US media reports said Bushnell livestreamed himself on the social media platform Twitch wearing fatigues and declaring he would “not be complicit in genocide” before dousing himself in liquid on Sunday.
He then lit himself...
From the Center
US Air Force soldier sets himself on fire outside Israeli embassy in DC
A man in US military fatigues set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in Washington DC on Sunday, in protest of what he called a “genocide” against Palestinians in Gaza.
The protester was identified on Sunday by the independent journalist Talia Jane as Aaron Bushnell, 25, an active-duty service member of the US Air Force, who, from a public LinkedIn profile, appeared to work in the service’s IT department.
Late Sunday night, Jane reported that Bushnell had succumbed to the wounds sustained in the self-immolation.
A video posted by the journalist showed...
From the Right
US Air Force member dies after setting himself on fire at Israeli Embassy in DC yelling, ‘Free Palestine’
US Air Force member Aaron Bushnell has died from his injuries after setting himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, DC, an official confirmed Monday.
A US Air Force spokesperson confirmed to The Post that 25-year-old Bushnell died overnight, though she did not officially name him, citing the ongoing notification of next of kin.
Officials were still contacting family members Monday and will not officially announce his death until 24 hours after that is complete, the Air Force representative said.
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