Yahoo News Veterans Burn Their Uniforms at Vigil for US Airman Aaron Bushnell
A group of veterans from the US armed forces burnt their uniforms in a show of solidarity with the airman Aaron Bushnell, who died after setting himself on fire outside the Israeli embassy in Washington in a protest over the war in Gaza.
Footage by Alissa Azar shows veterans lining up and taking turns to burn their military jackets at a vigil in Portland on February 28.
A banner can be seen behind them, reading: “Veterans say: Free Palestine! Remember Aaron Bushnell.”
The event was organized by the group About Face: Veterans Against the War, which told attendees to gather in front of the Wyatt Federal Building in Portland at 5 pm.
Before setting himself on fire, Bushnell filmed himself saying he would “no longer be complicit in genocide". He then yelled “Free Palestine” several times as flames engulfed him. Credit: Alissa Azar via Storyful
Video transcript
- Got a different meaning to me when I started wearing it at protests and I started wearing it in mass anti-war marches. And I started getting arrested wearing it protesting against the Iraq war. And I've gotten rid of almost every piece of my uniform and military shit since then. But tonight I want this to burn with Aaron Bushnell.
- Whoo.
[CHEERING]
- Of the two possessions, I'm not just invested, what we're doing, some of us are burning our medals. And the rest of us are burning the last pieces of the military we had, to tell Aaron that he's not alone, and to show him that he's not alone.
- Whoo.
[CHEERING]
- Remember Aaron Bushnell.
- Remember Aaron Bushnell.
- He's not alone.
- He's not alone.
- Remember Aaron Bushnell.
- Remember Aaron Bushnell.
- He's not alone.
- He's not alone.
- Remember Aaron Bushnell.
- Remember Aaron Bushnell.
- He's not alone.
- He's not alone.
- Remember Aaron Bushnell.
- Remember Aaron Bushnell.
- He is not alone.
- He is not alone.
- Remember Aaron Bushnell.
- Remember Aaron Bushnell.
- He's not alone.
- He's not alone.
- Whoo.
- Remember Aaron Bushnell.
- Remember Aaron Bushnell.
- He is not alone.
- He's not alone.
- Remember Aaron Bushnell.
- Remember Aaron Bushnell.
- He's not alone.
- He's not alone.
- Remember Aaron Bushnell.
- Remember Aaron Bushnell.
- He's not alone.
- He's not alone.
- Remember Aaron Bushnell.
- Remember Aaron Bushnell.
- He's not alone.
- He's not alone.
- Remember Aaron Bushnell.
- Remember Aaron Bushnell.
- He's not alone.
- He's not alone.
- Remember Aaron Bushnell.
- Remember Aaron Bushnell.
- He's not alone.
- He's not alone.
- Remember Aaron Bushnell.
- Remember Aaron Bushnell.
- He's not alone.
- He's not alone.
- Remember Aaron Bushnell.
- Remember Aaron Bushnell.
- He is not alone.
- He's not alone.
- Free Palestine.
