Self-immolation of Aaron Bushnell

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Self-immolation of Aaron Bushnell
Part of the Israel–Hamas war protests in the United States
Bushnell on fire in front of the Israeli embassy
DateFebruary 25, 2024 (2024-02-25)
LocationWashington, D.C., United States
TypeSelf-immolation
MotiveOpposition to United States support for Israel in the Israel–Hamas war
DeathsAaron Bushnell

On February 25, 2024, Aaron Bushnell, a 25-year-old serviceman of the United States Air Force, committed an act of self-immolation outside the front gate of the Embassy of Israel in Washington, D.C. During the incident, Bushnell said he was protesting "what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers" and declared that he "will no longer be complicit in genocide" before dousing himself with flammable liquid and lighting himself on fire.[1] As he burned, Bushnell repeatedly shouted "Free Palestine!" while a police officer pointed a gun at him and local emergency services arrived on scene.[2][3][4]

The act was livestreamed on Twitch.[5] The D.C. Metropolitan Police Department responded to assist the United States Secret Service after Bushnell set himself on fire, and he was transported to a local hospital in critical condition.[6] The Washington D.C. police confirmed Bushnell's death the following day.[7] This was the second self-immolation protesting United States support for Israel in the Israel–Hamas war at an Israeli diplomatic station in the United States; another protestor set themself on fire at the country's Atlanta consulate in December.[2] In reaction to the incident, the Pentagon responded in a press conference that "our support for Israel's inherent right to defend itself is ironclad".

Background

Bushnell in 2022

Bushnell grew up in Orleans, Massachusetts.[8] He started his career with the United States Air Force (USAF) in May 2020, having done Basic & Technical Training. He was trained as a Client Systems Technician, having been educated in cybersecurity. He later worked as a USAF DevOps engineer in San Antonio, Texas, and was pursuing an undergraduate degree in software engineering from Southern New Hampshire University.[6][3] A friend of Bushnell's described him as the "kindest, gentlest, silliest little kid" who was constantly striving for "liberation for all with a smile on his face".[9]

Bushnell is not the first person in the US to use self-immolation to protest against Israel over the Palestinian humanitarian crisis.[10] On December 1, 2023, an individual, whose identity was not revealed by the Atlanta authority, protested via self-immolation before the Israeli consulate in Atlanta, Georgia which resulted in critical injury of the protester.[11]

Event

Many of us like to ask ourselves, 'What would I do if I was alive during slavery? Or the Jim Crow South? Or apartheid? What would I do if my country was committing genocide?' The answer is, you're doing it. Right now.

Aaron Bushnell, final message on Facebook.[12][13]

Bushnell created a will before self-immolating, which left instructions including that his cat be left with a neighbor after his death.[14] Bushnell sent a message to media outlets before his planned self-immolation where he wrote "Today, I am planning to engage in an extreme act of protest against the genocide of the Palestinian people".[3]

Front gate of the Embassy of Israel, where Bushnell set himself on fire.

On February 25, 2024, at approximately 12:58 p.m. local time, Bushnell approached the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., intending to immolate himself as an act of protest against the Israel–Hamas war. He had also created a Twitch account[3] under the name "LillyAnarKitty" with a Palestinian flag as his profile banner with the caption "Free Palestine".[15] While livestreaming, he said "I am an active duty member of the United States Air Force. And I will no longer be complicit to 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,"[16][17] while walking towards the Israeli Embassy.[3]

Outside the gates of the embassy, Bushnell placed his camera down and positioned himself in front of the gates. He poured a liquid over himself and exclaimed "Free Palestine!"[18] A security officer approached Bushnell, asking if he needed help, but was ignored.[3]

After igniting himself, Bushnell repeatedly shouted "Free Palestine!" as he was burning, eventually he collapsed to the ground.[3][4][19][20] The security officer radioed in for assistance. A police officer approached the scene, aiming a gun at Bushnell off-camera and ordered him to "get on the ground" multiple times, while another officer yells "I don't need guns, I need fire extinguishers".[12] Multiple officers responded to the scene and used fire extinguishers on Bushnell. He was transported by the DC Fire and EMS to a local hospital where he later died from his burn injuries, at the age of 25.[21]

Aftermath

Investigation

The Secret Service, Metropolitan Police Department, and the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives announced they would investigate the incident.[3] The Metropolitan Police refused to confirm the authenticity of the livestream, and the US Air Force cited family notification policies while refusing to speak initially on the situation. A bomb disposal unit was dispatched to investigate concerns of a suspicious vehicle that could have been connected to Bushnell. The area was later declared safe after nothing hazardous was discovered.[22]

A public incident report given to reporters by the Metropolitan Police Department states that Bushnell was "exhibiting signs of mental distress" — namely that he had "doused himself with an unidentified liquid and set himself on fire" — before the Secret Service could reach him.[9] A spokesperson for the Israeli embassy reported that no staff members were injured in the incident.[23][24]

Reactions

Pentagon Press Secretary Patrick S. Ryder responded to Bushnell's death by stating, "Our [the Biden administration's] support for Israel's inherent right to defend itself is ironclad".[25]

Following his self-immolation, Bushnell's actions were praised by activists such as Aya Hijazi and Dyab Abou Jahjah, as well as United States Green Party candidate Jill Stein and independent candidate Cornel West[failed verification], all of whom paid tribute following his death. While some[who?], namely supporters of Palestine, viewed his act as heroic and sacrificial, others[who?] considered Bushnell to have resorted to extreme measures by committing suicide.[26]

See also

  • List of political self-immolations
    • Norman Morrison, an American activist who self-immolated in 1965 to protest United States involvement in the Vietnam War
    • Roger Allen LaPorte, an American Christian seminarian who self-immolated in 1965 to protest United States involvement in the Vietnam War
    • George Winne Jr., an American student who self-immolated in 1970 to protest United States involvement in the Vietnam War
    • Malachi Ritscher, an American musician who self-immolated in 2006 to protest the Iraq War

References

  1. ^ Assi, Seraj. "Aaron Bushnell Refused to Be Silent on the Horrors in Gaza". Jacobin.
  2. ^ a b Kavi, Aishvarya (February 25, 2024). "A man set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, the police said". The New York Times. ISSN 0362-4331. Archived from the original on February 25, 2024. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  3. ^ a b c d e f g h Guzman, Chad de (February 25, 2024). "U.S. Air Force Member Sets Self on Fire Outside Israel's Embassy in D.C. to Protest War in Gaza". Time. Archived from the original on February 26, 2024. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  4. ^ a b Davies, Emily; Rempfer, Kyle; and Lamothe, Dan (February 25, 2024). "Active-duty airman sets himself on fire outside D.C.'s Israeli Embassy". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on February 26, 2024. Retrieved February 26, 2024. shows him referring to his service in the U.S. armed forces and shouting "Free Palestine" as he burned.
  5. ^ Pitofsky, Marina; Ortiz, Jorge L.; and Nguyen, Thao (February 25, 2024). "Air Force member in critical condition after setting himself on fire outside Israeli embassy in Washington". USA Today. Archived from the original on February 26, 2024. Retrieved February 25, 2024.
  6. ^ a b "Who is Aaron Bushnell, US Air Force member sets himself on fire outside Israeli Embassy in Washington". The Economic Times. February 25, 2024. Archived from the original on February 26, 2024. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  7. ^ Davies, Emily; Hermann, Peter; Lamothe, Dan; Allam, Hannah (February 26, 2024). "Airman dies after setting himself on fire outside Israeli Embassy in D.C." The Washington Post. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  8. ^ Sheehy, Kate (February 26, 2024). "Who was Aaron Bushnell? US Air Force member died setting himself on fire outside Israeli Embassy". New York Post.
  9. ^ a b Norton, Tom (February 26, 2024). "Aaron Bushnell death report reveals police call about 'mental distress'". Newsweek. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  10. ^ Burga, Solcyré; Shah, Simmone (February 26, 2024), "The History of Self-Immolation as Political Protest", Time, retrieved February 27, 2024
  11. ^ "Protester critically injured after setting self on fire outside Israeli consulate in Atlanta", Associated Press, December 2, 2023, retrieved February 27, 2024
  12. ^ a b Rahman, Khaleda (February 26, 2024). "Who is Aaron Bushnell? US airman sets himself on fire by Israeli embassy". Newsweek. Archived from the original on February 26, 2024. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  13. ^ Kube, Courtney; Lenthang, Marlene; Siemaszko, Corky (February 26, 2024). "U.S. Air Force member who set himself on fire outside Israeli Embassy in D.C. has died". NBC News. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  14. ^ Kim, Juliana (February 26, 2024). "U.S. airman dies after setting himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy". NPR. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  15. ^ Nieto, Phillip (February 25, 2024). "Air Force Service Member Sets Himself On Fire Outside Israeli Embassy". Mediaite. Archived from the original on February 26, 2024. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  16. ^ Siddiqui, Usaid; Osgood, Brian. "Israel failed to comply with ICJ genocide orders in Gaza: Rights groups". Al Jazeera. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  17. ^ Seligman, Lara; Berg, Matt (February 26, 2024). "Air Force member dies after setting himself on fire outside Israeli Embassy". Politico. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  18. ^ "Air Force man sets himself on fire outside Israeli embassy in Washington DC". BBC News. February 25, 2024. Archived from the original on February 26, 2024. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  19. ^ "US airman sets himself on fire outside Israel embassy to protest 'genocide'". Al Jazeera. February 26, 2024. Archived from the original on February 26, 2024. Retrieved February 26, 2024. He then lit himself on fire while yelling "Free Palestine!" until he fell to the ground.
  20. ^ Diver, Tony and Hamblin, Andrea (February 26, 2024). "US military officer sets himself on fire outside Israeli embassy". The Daily Telegraph. Archived from the original on February 26, 2024. Retrieved February 26, 2024. standing outside the embassy wearing a military uniform and shouting "Free Palestine" as he burned.
  21. ^ Davies, Emily; Hermann, Peter (February 26, 2024). "Airman dies after setting himself on fire outside Israeli Embassy in D.C." The Washington Post. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  22. ^ Geoghegan, Tom; Epstein, Kayla; Wendling, Mike (February 26, 2024). "Aaron Bushnell: US airman dies after setting himself on fire outside Israeli embassy in Washington". BBC News. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  23. ^ Geoghegan, Tom; Epstein, Kayla; Wendling, Mike (February 26, 2024). "Aaron Bushnell: US airman dies after setting himself on fire outside Israeli embassy in Washington". BBC News. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  24. ^ Samuels, Ben (February 26, 2024). "U.S. Soldier Fatally Set Himself on Fire Outside Israeli Embassy in Protest of American Support of Gaza War". Haaretz. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
  25. ^ "Pentagon reaffirms support for Israel after US airman's self-immolation". Al Jazeera. Retrieved February 27, 2024.
  26. ^ Stanton, Andrew (February 26, 2024). "Aaron Bushnell called a "hero" for pro-Palestinian self-immolation". Newsweek. Retrieved February 26, 2024.
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