A CBS-affiliated journalist based in Arizona set himself on fire at an anti-Israel protest held in front of the White House on Saturday. "To the 10 thousand children in Gaza that have lost a limb in this conflict, I give my left arm to you," the journalist, Samuel Mena Jr., wrote in a letter published to his website.
Mena identified himself as a "general assignment news videographer" for AZFamily, a group of three local TV stations in Phoenix owned by Gray Television. One of those stations, KPHO, is affiliated with CBS. At approximately 6 p.m. Saturday, a Washington Free Beacon reporter on the scene witnessed Mena with his left arm ablaze. Police and other protesters rushed to him, dousing his arm with water and covering it with a keffiyeh to put out the flames.
Once the fire was extinguished, Mena could be heard screaming "We spread the misinformation" and "I’m a journalist, and I said it was ok." He was then transported to a nearby hospital for "treatment of non-life threatening injuries," Washington Metropolitan Police Department spokesman Tom Lynch told the Free Beacon.
BREAKING: A man attempted to self immolate in front of the White House pic.twitter.com/IF8YAaRbij
— Jessica Costescu (@JessicaCostescu) October 5, 2024
AZFamily released a statement confirming Mena's work for the network. Mena was "off duty" on Saturday and is "no longer an employee," the network said.
Police took the man away and have set up a perimeter.
The smell of fuel is very strong in the air.
It appears like the man only burned his arm because someone managed to pour water on him. pic.twitter.com/Y7Im7ECjMi
— Jessica Costescu (@JessicaCostescu) October 5, 2024
Prior to the incident, Mena announced on X that he would be "streaming live from the White House exterior" and would "give a speech." He also posted a picture of himself with a Palestinian flag alongside the caption "end settler colonialism."
On his personal website, meanwhile, Mena published a lengthy and jumbled letter detailing his intent to "demonstrate with as much of my conviction as I possibly can" his opposition to what he called "settler colonialism" and "genocide" in Gaza.
"A GENOCIDE OF THE PALESTINIAN PEOPLE IS OCCURRING AT THE HANDS OF THE STATE OF ISRAEL AND AMERICA HAS FINANCED IT WITH YOUR TAX DOLLARS," Mena wrote. "I, personally, call upon every world leader in every corner and pocket, of this green earth, to wake up and realize that the clock is ticking, not only for this planet, but also for the comfortability and security you think you enjoy."
"Unify with the rest of the world, and come up with an immediate plan to end settler colonialism as it exists today, and heal the planet."
"To the 10 thousand children in Gaza that have lost a limb in this conflict, I give my left arm to you," Mena concluded. "I pray my voice was able to raise up yours, and that your smiles never disappear."
In his letter, Mena also warned that the "planet has less than 5 years before it reaches the global heat threshold."
"The next president of the United States term in office will be 4 years long," he wrote. "Do you understand what is truly at stake?"
Saturday's Washington, D.C., protest was part of an "International Day of Action" meant to celebrate "one year of resistance" since Hamas's Oct. 7 terror attack. During the demonstration, keffiyeh-clad protesters blocked traffic for several hours and chanted, "There is only one solution," "All power to the resistance," and "Zionism’s got to go."
Protesters also waved the flag of Hamas, wore Hamas headbands, held up a framed picture of Hamas leader Yahya Sinwar, and set off smoke bombs.
BREAKING: A group of protesters have branched off and are continuing their protest
They have set off smoke bombs pic.twitter.com/uOzNiw0l2Q
— Jessica Costescu (@JessicaCostescu) October 6, 2024