In an alarming incident at Lafayette Park on Saturday, a man set his arm ablaze during a pro-Palestinian demonstration.
The incident, which occurred across the street from the White House, was captured in photos and videos by Jessica Costescu, a reporter for the Washington Free Beacon. The man, identified as Samuel Mena Jr., was seen waving his flaming arm and screaming in agony. Police officers and bystanders rushed to his aid, attempting to douse the flames.
According to The Post Millennial, Mena, amidst his screams of pain, was heard shouting about misinformation and asserting, Im a journalist, and I said it was okay. Mena is understood to be a graduate of Arizona State Universitys School of Journalism and identifies himself as a production specialist. He is currently employed as a photojournalist with AZFamily Channels 3 and 5.
The scene escalated as a bystander managed to pour water on Mena, followed by a police officer who intervened, urging the crowd to back it up! This protest comes nearly a year after the October 7 attack on Israel by Hamas, which resulted in the death of over 1,200 Israelis and sparked the ongoing Gaza conflict.
Mena, who reportedly maintains a website with an essay explaining his actions, expressed his disagreement with objectivity as it relates to journalism in the context of the Gaza conflict. His social media account displays a picture of him standing before a Palestinian flag, along with posts about his plans to livestream from outside the White House and a call to end settler colonialism.
This incident mirrors a similar act of protest earlier this year when an Air Force servicemember, Aaron Bushnell, immolated himself outside the Israeli Embassy in Washington DC. Bushnell, who succumbed to his injuries, was heard shouting Free Palestine during his final moments.
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