Emergency services in the US reported that a man has set himself on fire in front of the Israeli embassy in Washington DC.
The incident occurred around 1:00 p.m. local time (6:00 p.m. GMT) on Sunday.
US Secret Service officers quickly put out the fire and the man was rushed to the hospital with critical injuries, according to the city’s fire department.
According to a US Air Force spokeswoman quoted by US media, the man was an active-duty airman.
The Washington police department is currently conducting an investigation in collaboration with the Secret Service and other relevant authorities.
According to a statement from the police in the US capital, the incident occurred at “the 3500 block of International Drive, NW, around 1:00 pm”. Officers were sent to help the United States Secret Service after an individual set themselves on fire in front of an embassy in that area.
The report mentioned that a man was transported to the hospital and is currently in critical condition.
According to reports from US media, a video circulating on social media appears to show a man yelling “Free Palestine” while setting fire to something.
A bomb disposal unit was dispatched to the location due to suspicions surrounding a questionable vehicle possibly linked to the person.
It was later confirmed to be safe once no dangerous substances were discovered.
According to a spokeswoman for the embassy, no embassy staff members were harmed in the incident, as reported by the New York Times.
According to a statement from the Israeli foreign ministry, the man was not familiar to embassy staff.
This is not the first instance of someone self-immolating in front of an Israeli diplomatic mission in the US.
In December, a protester self-immolated in front of the Israeli consulate in Georgia, USA.
Authorities reported that the protester utilised petrol, and a Palestinian flag was discovered at the location during that incident.
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