By Thomas Kika
Weekend Staff Writer
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A GoFundMe account for the family of Aaron Bushnell, the Air Force member who died by suicide outside of an Israeli embassy, was taken down on Tuesday after briefly being active.
On Sunday, Bushnell, an active-duty member of the Air Force, set himself on fire outside of the Israeli embassy in Washington, D.C. Before doing so, he declared that he could "no longer be complicit in genocide," in reference to the ongoing conflict between Israel and Hamas in Gaza.
"I am about to engage in an extreme act of protest, but compared to what people have been experiencing in Palestine at the hands of their colonizers, it's not extreme at all," Bushnell said. "This is what our ruling class has decided will be normal."
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A video taken of the incident showed Bushnell walking up to the driveway of the Israeli embassy, setting his phone down on the ground, pouring an unknown liquid from a bottle over himself, and igniting it while yelling, "Free Palestine" repeatedly. He was later pronounced dead after being taken to a local hospital for treatment.
In the wake of the incident, which has generated no shortage of controversy on social media, a fundraiser was started on GoFundMe in his honor by an individual going by "Hoda AJ," who also attributed the fundraiser to the "Aaron Bushnell Support Committee." The organizer's information listed them as residing in Austin, Texas. The page, which referred to Bushnell as "a hero who sought justice and compassion for others," claimed that all the money that it raised would be given to Bushnell's family to cover funeral costs and other expenses incurred after his passing.
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"Aaron's commitment to serving his country in the US Air Force reflects his deep sense of duty and honor," the page read. "His final act was a reflection of his unwavering belief in justice and his dedication to raising awareness about the struggles faced by the Palestinian people. He saw their plight as a grave injustice and felt compelled to take a drastic action to bring attention to their suffering."
As of approximately 10:30 a.m. ET, however, the page was listed as "no longer accepting donations." It had generated only $50 from one donation.
Responding to an inquiry from Newsweek, a spokesperson for GoFundMe explained that the page had been taken down by the organizer. The reason why is not currently known.
"The organizer deactivated the fundraiser," the spokesperson wrote to Newsweek. "We are actively monitoring for any related starts on the platform."
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, contact the 988 Suicide and Crisis Lifeline by dialing 988, text "988" to the Crisis Text Line at 741741 or go to 988lifeline.org.
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