Pro-Palestine Protester Sets Self on Fire Outside “Israeli” Consulate in Atlanta

By Staff, Agencies

A demonstrator suffered severe injuries after setting himself ablaze on Friday near the “Israeli” consulate in Atlanta, Georgia, according to local law enforcement.

The head of the diplomatic mission later denounced the protest as an example of “hate and incitement” against the apartheid “Israeli” entity.

The protester, whose age and gender were not specified, was in critical condition with major burns after the act of self-immolation, Atlanta Police Chief Darin Schierbaum told reporters, noting that a security guard was also injured while attempting to intervene.

“We believe it was an act of extreme political protest that occurred,” the police chief said, adding that investigators did not see “any nexus to terrorism,” and that consular officials were never in danger during the incident.

A Palestinian flag was found near the scene, and gasoline was used as an accelerant, local officials said, but stressed that the exact motive behind the action remained unclear. Schierbaum said police were aware of religious and political tensions related to the war in the Middle East, and had increased patrols across Atlanta.

Multiple federal agencies are assisting the investigation, including the FBI.

The consulate later issued a statement, with “Israeli” Consul General Anat Sultan-Dadon saying “We are saddened to learn of the self-immolation at the entrance to the office building.” She described the incident as a “horrific” expression of “hate and incitement toward ‘Israel’”.

The US has seen a wave of protests related to the “Israeli” aggression on the besieged Gaza Strip, with demonstrations held in several major cities in recent weeks. Reports of apparent hate crimes against Palestinians have also spiked.

The “Israeli” entity started its war on Gaza on October 7 after resistance groups launched Operation al-Aqsa Flood in response to the regime’s intensified crimes against Palestinians.

The entity has also blocked supply of water, food, electricity, and medicines to Gaza, plunging the coastal area into a humanitarian crisis. The regime has been defying global calls for a ceasefire as well.