Key facts
- A 52-year-old man died from severe burns after setting himself on fire near the UN headquarters in New York.
- The man was holding a Tibetan flag and reportedly appealing for Tibetan independence.
- Police responded to the scene and transported the man to a hospital where he was pronounced dead.
- Activists identified the man as Tibetan activist Logba Rangzen.
- The incident occurred shortly after the enactment of China's new ethnic unity law.
A 52-year-old man died from severe burns after setting himself on fire outside the United Nations headquarters in New York on Thursday evening. Police responded to an emergency call around 6:30 p.m. ET and found the man badly burned. He was transported to Bellevue Hospital, where he was pronounced dead. The New York City Police Department has stated an investigation is ongoing but did not release the man's name.
Activists and a media outlet for exiled Tibetans identified the man as Tibetan activist Logba Rangzen, who was reportedly appealing for Tibetan independence and unity. Voice of Tibet reported that Rangzen went to the scene with a Tibetan flag and was an Uber driver. A fellow driver told local news that Rangzen was enraged by restrictions imposed by the Chinese government on Tibetans.
The incident occurred shortly after the United States and the European Union expressed concern over China's new ethnic unity law, which grants Beijing a legal basis to take action against individuals outside its borders. This law aims to create a shared national identity among China's ethnic minority groups, including Tibetans and Uyghurs, many of whom oppose Chinese governance.
Tibetans have a history of self-immolation protests against Beijing's policies. China seized control of Tibet in 1950, which it describes as a "peaceful liberation." However, international human rights groups and exiles condemn China's rule as oppressive, a charge Beijing rejects. The International Campaign for Tibet described Rangzen as a "tireless advocate for Tibet."