Leftists have been quick to cheer the suicide of a 25-year-old man named Aaron Bushnell, who lit himself on fire and said he was protesting Israel’s “genocide” in the Gaza Strip, though no such genocide is happening.
Bushnell, a U.S. Air Force member and radical anarchist, set himself on fire in front of the Israeli Embassy in Washington, D.C., on Sunday, while shouting “Free Palestine.” Hours later, Bushnell succumbed to his injuries.
In the days following the shocking act of self-immolation, numerous politicos on the Left praised Bushnell and his self-violence.
“Let us never forget the extraordinary courage and commitment of brother Aaron Bushnell who died for truth and justice!” radical leftist and independent presidential candidate Cornel West posted to X. “I pray for his precious loved ones! Let us rededicate ourselves to genuine solidarity with Palestinians undergoing genocidal attacks in real time! #AaronBushnell #FreePalestine.”
Let us never forget the extraordinary courage and commitment of brother Aaron Bushnell who died for truth and justice! I pray for his precious loved ones! Let us rededicate ourselves to genuine solidarity with Palestinians undergoing genocidal attacks in real time!… pic.twitter.com/9F7dXOAYJt
— Cornel West (@CornelWest) February 26, 2024
“Rest in power Aaron Bushnell,” former Green Party presidential candidate Jill Stein commented in a deleted post. “May his sacrifice deepen our commitment to stop genocide now.”
Controversial far-left racial activist Shaun King offered praise, too. “I want to honor a young man that was so disturbed by the genocide of Palestinians that he set himself on fire yesterday at the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C.,” he wrote. “Instead of harming someone else, he made a choice that of course seems strange and disturbing to all of us, but I empathize with him.”
Vermont Sen. Bernie Sanders sounded off on the incident, too, largely by condemning Israel. “It’s obviously a terrible tragedy, but I think it speaks to the depths of despair that so many people are feeling now about the horrific humanitarian disaster taking place in Gaza, and I share those deep concerns,” the senator said, according to Newsweek. “Children are starving. People are dying—29,000 Palestinians have died, two-thirds of them women and children. The United States has got to stand up to Netanyahu and make sure this does not continue.”
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Bushnell was reportedly a self-described anarchist and spoke to a friend, another anarchist, shortly before he decided to kill himself. “I hope you’ll understand I love you,” Bushnell said, according to The Washington Post. “This doesn’t even make sense but I feel like I’m going to miss you.”
Bushnell also reportedly sent his will and testament to another friend, gave his cat to a neighbor, and emailed numerous far-left sites and groups before he killed himself.
In a letter to left-wing CrimethInc., Bushnell identified himself using “he/him” pronouns, writing in part: “Today, I am planning to engage in an extreme act of protest against the genocide of the Palestinian people. The below links should take you to a livestream and recorded footage of the event, which will be highly disturbing. I ask that you make sure that the footage is preserved and reported on.”
CrimethInc. said the Twitch account displayed the username “LillyAnarKitty” and the corresponding icon was that of an “A” with a circle around it, a symbol of anarchism.
Facebook: Aaron Bushnell
Bushnell also reportedly followed radical groups on Facebook and was praised by a radical group called “Serve the People Akron.” The group — which describes itself as a “Queer revolutionary organization doing mutual aid with poor & oppressed people in Akron, Ohio” — said Bushnell was a member, captioning two photos of the 25-year-old.
“Yesterday Aaron Bushnell self-immolated in front of the Israeli Embassy in Washington DC in protest of the ongoing genocide of the Palestinian people,” Serve the People said.
“Aaron was a valued member of our organization and the community who immediately jumped in to help the unhoused and any project that came up. He was dependable and [persistent] with the mutual aid work he did in a city that was still new to him. We will be forever grateful for the effort he put in to make Akron a better place,” the post continued. “We are all still devastated to learn of his passing but we do not want his actions to go in vain. Please continue your education, advocacy, and support for the Palestinian people.”
“Rest Easy Comrade,” the group closed the post. “Free Palestine!”
Instagram: Serve the People Akron
Additional reports indicate that Bushnell grew up on a religious compound in a Cape Cod town, where his family were members of the Community of Jesus church. The church has been accused by some of being cult-like and abusive.
Related: Man Lights Self On Fire In Front Of Israeli Embassy In D.C.