Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

Skip to comments.

US Air Force member who self-immolated yelling 'Free Palestine' outside Israeli Embassy identified
Just The News ^ | Published: February 26, 2024 8:14am Updated: February 26, 2024 8:40am | By Madeleine Hubbard

Posted on 02/26/2024 6:01:59 AM PST by Red Badger

"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," the airman said before lighting himself on fire.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

The man who died after setting himself on fire outside of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C. while yelling, "Free Palestine" has been identified as 25-year-old active-duty U.S. Air Force member Aaron Bushnell after harrowing footage of the live-streamed incident emerged on social media.

Bushnell succumbed to his injuries from the protest after being hospitalized, a U.S. official said Monday, per NBC News.

"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. This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal," Bushnell said in a video he live-streamed on the video platform Twitch as he walked in uniform toward the embassy Sunday afternoon while carrying a metal water bottle.

The video is still available on X, formerly Twitter, but Twitch removed the channel where it was posted for violating the platform's guidelines, per The New York Times.

Bushnell set down his phone in front of the embassy and walked toward the gate as he poured liquid from the water bottle over his head saying, "Free Palestine." He struggled to light himself on fire for about 20 seconds as someone off camera can be heard asking multiple times if he needed help.

After lighting himself on fire, Bushnell can be heard yelling, "Free Palestine!" at least five times while yelling and going silent 20 seconds later.

This is not the first time a person has set themself on fire in the U.S. after Hamas' Oct. 7, 2023 attack on Israel. A demonstrator self-immolated in December outside of the Israeli Consulate General building in Atlanta.

Follow Madeleine Hubbard on X or Instagram.


TOPICS: Foreign Affairs; Gaza; Government; Israel
KEYWORDS: aaronbushnell; airforce; antifa; domesticenemies; hamas
Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-71 next last
To: texanyankee
Someone off camera could be heard asking, “do you need any help?” Good to know we still have good Samaritans

Yeah but he meant, "Do you need help lighting yourself on fire?"

21 posted on 02/26/2024 6:22:09 AM PST by Lazamataz (Laz 2005: "First, we beat the Soviet Union. Then we became them.")
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 6 | View Replies]

To: Lazamataz

“Bushnell started his career at 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 DevOps engineer for the USAF while being based in San Antonio, Texas”

An IT geek. In our digital world the military can’t get enough of ‘em....many I was around in the DoD were often introverted and seem a little odd......never seen one set themselves on fire though.


22 posted on 02/26/2024 6:22:54 AM PST by V_TWIN (America...so great even the people that hate it refuse to leave!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

His recruiter will probably get a bonus at a WH ceremony.

Lol.


23 posted on 02/26/2024 6:23:57 AM PST by cgbg ("Our democracy" = Their Kleptocracy)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

I think this incident should settle any doubts if our own armed forces are capable of turning on us.


24 posted on 02/26/2024 6:24:23 AM PST by SecondAmendment (The history of the present Federal Government is a history of repeated injuries and usurpations ...)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

That’s hard core dude.....I wonder how that person felt after he went up like a torch.....sheesh


25 posted on 02/26/2024 6:24:40 AM PST by V_TWIN (America...so great even the people that hate it refuse to leave!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 18 | View Replies]

To: Lazamataz

All part of the plan. Damage the image of the military so enlistments drop. Drive out the good people and lower the standards allowing the wrong people to get in. Rinse and repeat until the military has a large enough nut jobs in positions of leadership roles. Let the rot continue.


26 posted on 02/26/2024 6:24:45 AM PST by Dutch Boy (The only thing worse than having something taken from you is to have it returned broken. )
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: V_TWIN

This maniac had access to military secrets.

Just think about that.


27 posted on 02/26/2024 6:25:28 AM PST by cgbg ("Our democracy" = Their Kleptocracy)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 22 | View Replies]

To: Lazamataz

I guess if he makes it through, which I guess he won’t, he could have been eligible for a Harvard Davy Hogg Scholarship.


28 posted on 02/26/2024 6:25:34 AM PST by FlingWingFlyer (John Oliver is a racist liberal biatch.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: cgbg

I did....when I saw he was active in military cyber security my first thought was “oh crap”.


29 posted on 02/26/2024 6:27:37 AM PST by V_TWIN (America...so great even the people that hate it refuse to leave!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 27 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

He immolated for lies.


30 posted on 02/26/2024 6:27:50 AM PST by Socon-Econ (adi)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Lazamataz
How the hell are people like this getting into our armed forces???!?

Exactly. Apparently we are already encouraging mentally ill people in the form of transgenders to enlist, and now it appears that mental illness is a wider problem in the US military.
31 posted on 02/26/2024 6:27:50 AM PST by AnotherUnixGeek
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Lazamataz
How the hell are people like this getting into our armed forces???!?

Recruiting goals are more important than the quality of the recruit. Part of that fundamentally changing America thingy.

If they identified him as "an active duty USAF member", why don't they include his rank? Strange that isn't brought up.

32 posted on 02/26/2024 6:28:40 AM PST by pfflier
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Next will be bomb vest in crowded streets.


33 posted on 02/26/2024 6:28:52 AM PST by CIB-173RDABN (I am not an expert in anything, and my opinion is just that, an opinion. I may be wrong.)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Lazamataz

Lately they are taking any warm body avalable


34 posted on 02/26/2024 6:30:12 AM PST by xp38
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 2 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Mental illness is a terrible affliction.


35 posted on 02/26/2024 6:31:04 AM PST by The Sentient Sheep
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

Yes, me too. But I never knew any that set themselves on fire and wasn’t drunk or stoned. Total dumb@$$ery.


36 posted on 02/26/2024 6:31:08 AM PST by Alas Babylon! (Repeal the Patriot Act; Abolish the DHS; reform FBI top to bottom!)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 5 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

The military has tormented souls in the ranks as does the general population. This man was in such a dark place that he tied to project his demons on a warped political narrative and ultimately commited suicide. Pity him and his family.


37 posted on 02/26/2024 6:32:59 AM PST by allendale
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]

To: outinyellowdogcountry
I thought the military screens for mental illness.

Nowadays it's a recruitment quota.

38 posted on 02/26/2024 6:33:13 AM PST by Ezekiel (🆘️ "Come fly with US". 🔴 Ingenuity -- because the Son of David begins with MARS ♂️, aka every man)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 15 | View Replies]

To: Lazamataz

All recruiters want is a warm body to put on the bus...................


39 posted on 02/26/2024 6:36:16 AM PST by Red Badger (Homeless veterans camp in the streets while illegals are put up in 5 Star hotels....................)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 20 | View Replies]

To: Red Badger

40 posted on 02/26/2024 6:36:59 AM PST by logi_cal869 (-cynicus the "concern troll" a/o 10/03/2018 /!i!! &@$%&*(@ -)
[ Post Reply | Private Reply | To 1 | View Replies]


Navigation: use the links below to view more comments.
first previous 1-2021-4041-6061-71 next last

Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.

Free Republic
Browse · Search
News/Activism
Topics · Post Article

FreeRepublic, LLC, PO BOX 9771, FRESNO, CA 93794
FreeRepublic.com is powered by software copyright 2000-2008 John Robinson