A man identified by authorities as Max Azzarello, 37 years old, has self-immolated as a protest near the Lower Manhattan Courthouse, where jury selection for the criminal trial against former President and current Republican Party candidate Donald Trump is underway.
A man sets himself on fire in front of the courthouse where Donald Trump is located
According to Nate Schweber and Matthew Haag of The New York Times, Azzarello was seen around the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse during the week. On Friday at 1:35 PM Eastern Time, he doused himself with fuel and set himself on fire. Bystanders attempted to help Azzarello by extinguishing the flames consuming him.
Minutes later, police and firefighters arrived at the scene to extinguish the fire and assist the man, who was loaded into an ambulance and taken to the hospital for treatment of severe burns.
According to authorities, Azzarello is in critical condition, and it is reported at this time that it is unlikely he will survive his injuries.
Azzarello was probably a conspiracy theorist
Social media has revealed that Azzarello was an avid conspiracy theorist who wrote a manifesto before self-immolating.
Additionally, hours before his act, he recorded a video on social media where he spoke of “initiating a revolution.” Throughout the week, he held signs accusing Biden, Trump, and the U.S. government in general of a “fascist coup.”