A man ignited himself outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington, as reported by the Metropolitan Police Department.
Ann Stefanek, a spokeswoman for the U.S. Air Force, revealed that the individual was an active-duty airman.
The incident, which took place in the northwestern part of Washington around 1 p.m., saw U.S. Secret Service officers quickly extinguishing the flames.
Vito Maggiolo, a spokesperson for the local fire department, confirmed the man was rushed to a hospital with severe, life-threatening injuries and is currently in critical condition.
Tal Naim, an embassy spokeswoman, assured that no embassy personnel were harmed and all were accounted for.
It was noted that the man seemed to be recording his protest and broadcasting it live on Twitch at the time of the police’s arrival.
The New York Times has yet to verify the ownership of the account that uploaded the footage, which showed a man approaching the Israeli Embassy in Washington.
“I will no longer be complicit in genocide,” a man said in the video, echoing language that opponents of Israel’s military action in Gaza have used to describe the campaign. “I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest.”
The man set his phone down to film dousing himself in a clear liquid from a metal bottle. He then lit himself on fire while yelling “Free Palestine!” until he fell to the ground.
Josep Borrell, the European Union’s High Representative for Foreign Affairs, has criticized Israel for its disproportionate response to a Hamas attack, highlighting the dire situation as Tel Aviv uses starvation as a weapon in Gaza.
