The airman, who filmed the incident and could be heard yelling “Free Palestine,” was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries after collapsing to the ground.

The airman, who filmed the incident and could be heard yelling “Free Palestine,” was hospitalized with life-threatening injuries after collapsing to the ground.

The U.S. Air Force member who set himself on fire outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., in an apparent protest against the Israel-Hamas war has died, according to a U.S. official.

Next of kin notification is continuing, so the Air Force won’t release his name until 24 hours after the final notification is complete.

The District of Columbia Fire and Emergency Medical Service Department responded to a call about a person on fire outside the embassy just before 1 p.m. Sunday, and found the flames extinguished by the Secret Service’s uniformed division.

  • ArbitraryValue@sh.itjust.worksEnglish
    2311·
    9 months ago

    no speech louder than this

    It’s loud about the strength of this guy’s conviction but it provides no actual argument or information. I don’t think it’s cause to change one’s opinion about Biden’s foreign policy one way or another. In fact, I’d go further and say that it probably should be ignored as much as possible in order to avoid motivating other people to do the same thing.

    • Tremble@sh.itjust.works
      287·
      9 months ago

      I disagree. Fairly certain it got politicians attention. When your own soldiers are standing outside of your house setting themselves on fire it’s probably best to pay attention to the message.

      • KevonLooney@lemm.ee
        1231·
        9 months ago

        It wasn’t “soldiers”, it was one guy. One person who wasted their life, instead of lobbying for what they wanted.

        Now he’ll never get to vote, donate, or campaign for what he believed in. He actually hurt his cause in the long run.

        “No dumb bastard ever won a war by going out and dying for his country. He won it by making some other dumb bastard die for his country.”

        – General George S. Patton

          • KevonLooney@lemm.ee
            138·
            9 months ago

            You change your vote based on people killing themselves? Like if you are pro-choice and a pro-life person killed themselves, you would change your mind? Do you look up stats on the number of people on both sides who kill themselves and compare them? Do you think suicidal people are a good basis for a system of government?

            If you do any of those things, you are not a normal voter. Voters do not care about that at all. It grabs attention, but just talking to your friend about who you’re voting for is much more persuasive. If you kill yourself people rightfully think you have mental issues.

            • intensely_human@lemm.ee
              64·
              9 months ago

              You’re going out of your way to misunderstand this.

              This can sway my vote and yes, things that people are willing to give their lives for are very compelling to me.

    • intensely_human@lemm.ee
      52·
      9 months ago

      We already know the arguments. All that is left is for us to weigh it for ourselves. What this man did was heavy and affects that weighing process.

      • WoahWoah@lemmy.world
        94·
        9 months ago

        I’m not supporting the cop’s actions, but the guy was staggering around and was engulfed in flames. If he went and hugged someone like the EMS, there would be two people dead. I imagine he kept his weapon on him in case he decided to run towards someone.

        It may not seem like a weapon, but when someone is on fire from gasoline and walking, they’re a clear and present danger to the people around them.

      • Zaktor@sopuli.xyzEnglish
        2·
        9 months ago

        This is not an accurate recounting of the video. The “may I help yous” were over a second or two as he was trying to light himself, not a long period. The “get on the ground” started basically as soon as the fire lit and continued until he collapsed at which point the presumed speaker with the gun came on screen and continued to actively dance around the first responders trying to put Bushnell out so that his shot line would remain clear.

      • goferking0@lemmy.sdf.org
        34·
        9 months ago

        Why bring up the terrible cops reactions to a statement of the person’s convictions?

        Because of no one should have to watch the video

        https://imemc.org/article/us-soldier-self-immolates-in-protest-at-israeli-embassy/

        the Secret Service officers and Metropolitan Police who were present at the scene watch for a full minute, saying, “May I help you sir?” and as he’s on fire scream at him to get on the ground, but do not otherwise engage. One cop appears with a gun drawn on the man after he collapses, still consumed by flames.