Man Sets Himself on Fire at Pro-Palestine Protest in US
TEHRAN (Tasnim) – A man self-immolated during a pro-Palestinian demonstration at Black Lives Matter Plaza, Washington DC, on Saturday evening.
The Reuters news agency published pictures of the man with his arm on fire at a pro-Palestine protest in the US capital city, as well as images of bystanders using their Keffiyeh scarves to put out the flames.
The Washington Post reported that the man, who has not been named, claimed he was a journalist and guilty of spreading misinformation about the crisis in the Middle East.
The rally in the US capital, attended by about 1,000 people, was one of several in cities around the globe marking the one-year anniversary of the Palestinin resistance forces' Al-Aqsa Storm operation and Israel’s war on Gaza.
DC Police Chief Pamela A. Smith stated that the man was taken to the hospital with non-life-threatening injuries. Witnesses described the scene as chaotic, with bystanders screaming for help while two DC police officers quickly extinguished the flames. One officer used the man's shirt, while another used a kaffiyeh found on the street to help put out the fire.
Micah Warnock-Estrada, a friend of the man, identified him as Samuel Mena Jr.
The demonstration was part of a global day of action commemorating the ongoing genocidal war in Gaza. Protesters in Washington carried Palestinian flags and banners, calling for an end to the occupation and condemning Israeli aggression in Gaza and Lebanon.
Among the demonstrators, Anyssa Dhaouadi from the Palestinian Youth Movement spoke of the growing international support for the Palestinian cause, while Ismail Obeidallah shared memories of living under Israeli occupation in the West Bank and expressed concerns for his family still residing there.