Tibetan Man Sets Himself On Fire Outside UN Headquarters In New York: Here's What We Know

(MENAFN- Live Mint) A Tibetan man set himself on fire on Thursday (local time) outside the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan, with the horrifying incident captured on a livestream.

The man, identified by a friend as Lobga Rangzen, was reportedly protesting China's occupation. He was dressed in full monastic attire when he planted a Tibetan flag on the sidewalk and later self-immolated along the busy street during the evening rush, the New York Post reported.

The protester, who has lived in the United States for roughly two decades, crumbled to the ground in less than a minute after he was engulfed in flames. Nearly 15 seconds later, first responders with fire extinguishers doused the flames. The police said that Rangzen, 42, was taken to Bellevue Hospital immediately after, where he was pronounced dead.

Rangzen protested China's occupation in Tibet

The report suggests that the Tibetan flag continued to be in place for almost an hour after Rangzen self-immolated and as police investigated the scene. At the crime scene, police were spotted carrying paper sheets, one of which read, "CHINA OUT OF TIBET," a slogan that is commonly associated with the Tibetan Independence Movement, or contemporary“Free Tibet” movement.

According to Free Tibet, since March 2009, over 150 people have set themselves on fire in the country to protest what they describe as“Chinese occupation."

This is a developing story. More details awaited.

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