A 52-year-old man reportedly died in New York City on Thursday after setting himself on fire near the United Nations‘s headquarters.
A protester with a Tibetan flag carried out the self-immolation, according to the New York Post. He was reportedly protesting China‘s occupation of Tibet. Papers that said “China Out of Tibet” were found at the scene.
Video footage showed the victim setting himself on fire outside the U.N. building complex in Manhattan.
A New York City Police Department spokesperson confirmed the 52-year-old male was found with burns throughout his body at the scene after 6:30 p.m. Thursday. The man was transported to Bellevue Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Officers are still investigating the scene.
The police department is withholding his identity until the family is notified.
Self-immolation is a tactic employed by Tibetans as a form of extreme protest against Chinese control over Tibet. Since 2009, about 160 Tibetans have burned themselves alive for this reason.
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China has occupied Tibet since 1950, when the People’s Liberation Army invaded the Himalayan region. Tibetan and Chinese leaders signed the 17-Point Agreement in 1951, solidifying China’s military takeover. Today, Tibet retains autonomy but remains under political, military, and administrative control from China.
The man was protesting newly imposed restrictions in Tibet, amNewYork reported. The local newspaper identified the person as Lobga Rangzen, an Uber driver who had been living in the United States for about two decades. Rangzen went live on Facebook to stream his self-immolation and death, according to amNewYork.