WARNING: this story is horrifically graphic.
A member of the US Airforce has died after lighting himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in protest what he described as ‘genocide’ in Gaza with the backing of the US.
Collin Rugg reports:
REPORT: Just two hours before US Air Force member Aaron Bushnell lit himself on fire in DC, he left a chilling message on Facebook, comparing the Israel-Hamas war to slavery.
Bushnell lit himself on fire outside outside the Israeli Embassy & later died at the hospital.
“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.”
Underneath the Facebook post he shared a link to a Twitch livestream which is where the footage was later posted live.
ADVERTISEMENTA further look into his Facebook account shows that he ‘liked’ two Ohio anarchist groups: Burning River Anarchist Collective and Mutual Aid Street Solidarity.
Bushnell was from Orleans, Massachusetts.
REPORT: Just two hours before US Air Force member Aaron Bushnell lit himself on fire in DC, he left a chilling message on Facebook, comparing the Israel-Hamas war to slavery.
Bushnell lit himself on fire outside outside the Israeli Embassy & later died at the hospital.
"Many of… pic.twitter.com/o9noatT7LF
— Collin Rugg (@CollinRugg) February 27, 2024
The video is horrible but these pictures may be even worse:
For those who don't have the stomach for the video of Aaron Bushnell burning himself alive
Even as he was burning in agonizing pain he continued to yell free Palestine pic.twitter.com/Hj4K9zQn52
— Jake Shields (@jakeshieldsajj) February 26, 2024
Backup here:
#BREAKING: ⚠️ Video released of Air Force member Aaron Bushnell, who lit himself on fire in DC outside the Israeli Embassy to protest the Israel/Hamas War.
He later died at the hospital.pic.twitter.com/RxFamHkPxw
— The Patriot Oasis™ (@ThePatriotOasis) February 27, 2024
I’ve thought a lot about this and I finally wrote the following:
It seems mental illness may be at play here. My take? I’m glad he lit himself on fire and didn’t harm anyone else. We could’ve had a huge tragedy on our hands. Still sad and idiotic but could have been much worse.
It seems mental illness may be at play here. My take? I’m glad he lit himself on fire and didn’t harm anyone else. We could’ve had a huge tragedy on our hands. Still sad and idiotic but could have been much worse. https://t.co/i4Rt5W4Bc5
— DailyNoah.com (@DailyNoahNews) February 27, 2024
Very sad and idiotic, but better than walking into a room and shooting the place up. So credit for that.
Absolutely unfathomable to me.
What would ever drive someone to do this?
You don’t want to be complicit anymore?
Take a discharge from the Airforce, or protest in some other way.
But lighting yourself on fire seems like one of the worst things you could ever possibly do.
You wanted attention?
You got it, but at what cost?
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