Emergency services in the United States reported that a man set himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in Washington DC. The incident occurred around 1:00 PM local time (18:00 GMT) on Sunday.
Officers from the US Secret Service quickly intervened and extinguished the flames before the man was rushed to the hospital with critical, life-threatening injuries, as confirmed by the city’s fire department.
According to reports, a spokeswoman for the US Air Force later stated that the man involved was an active-duty airman.
The Washington police department is currently conducting an investigation in collaboration with the Secret Service and other relevant authorities.
In an official statement, the police department stated that the incident occurred on the 3500 block of International Drive, NW, around 1:00 PM, where officers were dispatched to assist the United States Secret Service after an individual set himself on fire in front of an embassy.
The statement further noted that an adult male was transported to the hospital in critical condition.
A video circulating on social media purportedly shows the man shouting “Free Palestine” as he burned, according to reports from US media.
Following the incident, a bomb disposal unit was dispatched to the site due to concerns about a suspicious vehicle possibly linked to the individual. However, it was later determined to be safe after no hazardous materials were found.
Fortunately, no embassy staff members were injured during the incident, as confirmed by a spokeswoman for the embassy to the New York Times.
In response to inquiries, the Israeli foreign ministry stated that the man was not known to embassy staff.
This incident echoes a similar event in December when a protester set themselves on fire in front of the Israeli consulate in the US state of Georgia. Police reported that the protester used petrol, and a Palestinian flag was discovered at the scene.
