Man Sets Himself on Fire Near Trump Trial

A man set himself on fire in a park outside the court where Donald Trump is standing trial in Manhattan, with a witness describing him throwing pamphlets before officers rushed to extinguish the flames.

Video seemingly taken by witnesses and posted on social media showed a person standing engulfed in flames, then falling to the ground as police and plainclothes officers rushed to beat out the blaze.

One patrolman used a small fire extinguisher in an attempt to control the blaze.

TV reporters described the incident unfolding moments after the full panel of 12 jurors and six alternates was selected for the trial of the former president in a hush money cover-up case.

"The male that is involved in this incident, his name is going to be Maxwell Azzarello. He is a male, born in 1987, his driver’s license indicates that he is from St. Augustine, Florida. What we know from speaking to other witnesses and family members is that he arrived in New York sometime earlier in the week. We have his car in St.Augustine, Florida on the 13th, so anywhere between the 13th and today he arrived. We spoke to family members today, they were unaware that he was even in New York. As the Fire Commissioner stated, he is in Cornell burn center right now in likely condition." said Jeffrey B. Maddrey, chief of department, New York City Police Department.

The latest incident recalls the US airman who set himself alight outside the Israeli embassy in Washington in February, and subsequently died, protesting the war in Gaza.

A fire department spokesman did not respond to a request for comment about the incident, but the media reported the man had been taken away for medical treatment.

The self-immolation happened in a park opposite the 100 Centre Street courthouse, which has been used by authorities to corral protesters, both pro-Trump and anti-Trump, as well as well as by some members of the media.