Pro-Palestine demonstrators 'horrified' by woman setting self on fire outside Israeli Consulate

ATLANTA - Hundreds of demonstrators flooded the streets of Downtown Atlanta on Sunday afternoon, days after a protester set herself on fire outside the Israeli Consulate in Midtown.

At a Pro-Palestinian march Sunday, organizers and marchers said the act showed how desperate the Israel-Hamas war has made people here feel.  

Imam Arshad Anwar, one of the organizers of Sunday's march and mass funeral for Palestinians killed in Gaza, said he was horrified to learn about the incident on Friday.

"It's devastating that people are willing to go to these lengths," Anwar said. "That really should make us understand that this is taking a serious toll on people's hearts."

He called it an extreme example of how desperate people are for the violence in Gaza to end.

"There is a serious sense of desperation," Anwar said.  

Organizers in downtown Atlanta held a march and mass funeral for Palestinians killed in Gaza on Dec. 3, 2023.

That extreme display cost the health of a security guard who tried to save the woman from hurting herself. Michael Harris' wife spoke with FOX 5 exclusively Sunday night to explain how badly he was burned. She said he faces a long journey to recovery.

Related: Wife of Atlanta security guard burned trying to save protester asks for prayers

Marcher Aliya Raza says while she doesn’t condone that type of protest where one would set themselves on fire, she understands where that woman was coming from.  

"That is not right to do, you cannot harm yourself. But she felt helpless! And that is what one does when someone is that desperate," Raza said.  

She said she was hopeful when news broke of the cease-fire agreement between Israel and Hamas that began on Nov. 24.

It lasted for seven days and allowed the exchange of more than 100 hostages for 240 Palestinian prisoners. But now that the cease-fire has been broken, she said she feels helpless again.

"It was so peaceful, relief," she said. "We're back to our lives and, you know? Everyone was relieved, and all of a sudden, again, bombardment. I was devastated. I didn't know what to do."

Anwar said they are going to keep putting together demonstrations like the one held Sunday until a permanent cease-fire is called.

"Nothing happens easily, but everything takes time," he said. "We're going to keep the pressure on. We're going to make sure that we hold our elected officials accountable, and we keep raising our voices for what we feel is right."