Anti-Israel photojournalist sets himself on fire outside of White House
A photojournalist, identified as Samuel Mena Jr., set his left arm on fire during an anti-Israel protest outside the White House on Saturday evening. The shocking incident was captured in a video that shows Mena screaming in pain as his left arm is engulfed in flames. Bystanders and police officers can be seen rushing to his aid, dousing the flames with water and pieces of clothing.
Mena's actions and statements during the incident
After the flames were extinguished, Mena can be heard identifying himself as a journalist while being restrained by DC Metropolitan police officers. He also shouted, "We spread the misinformation," and "I'm a journalist and I said it was okay." The incident took place in the 800 block of 16th Street, just outside of the White House.
The journalist worked for local CBS affiliate AZFamily
Mena's blog post reveals motive behind self-immolation
Before the incident, Mena had published a blog post on his website questioning the media's objectivity in covering the Gaza war. He wrote, "To the 10 thousand children in Gaza that have lost a limb in this conflict, I give my left arm to you." Images posted on social media showed that the Arizona State University journalism graduate had been working for local CBS affiliate AZFamily for two years prior to this event.
Protesters demand ceasefire in Gaza Strip
The self-immolation incident occurred on the eve of the one-year anniversary of an attack by Hamas on Israel that resulted in approximately 1,200 deaths and ignited an ongoing war. Protesters gathered around the White House demanding a ceasefire in the Gaza Strip, where an estimated 40,000 Palestinians have been killed by Israeli forces over the past year.
