A man holding a Tibetan flag has d!ed after setting himself on fire outside the United Nations headquarters in New York on Thursday, July 2, in an apparent protest against Chinese rule over Tibet.
The protester, identified by a friend as Lobga Rangzen, was dressed in full monastic garb when he planted a Tibetan flag on the sidewalk and then set himself on fire.
He scattered pieces of paper as he burned to de@th.
Rangzen, who has lived in the US for about 20 years and worked as an Uber driver, crumbled to the ground less than a minute after he was engulfed in flames as passing cars honked their horns.
Law enforcement responded to a 911 call at around 6:30 p.m. and observed a 52-year-old male with severe burns across his body, a New York City Police Department spokesperson told CNN.
The man was taken to the hospital and later pronounced de@d, the spokesperson said.
Police were spotted carrying the sheets of paper that Rongzen scattered, one of which said “CHINA OUT OF TIBET” — a slogan commonly associated with the Tibetan Independence Movement, or contemporary “Free Tibet” movement.
Since March 2009, more than 150 people are known to have set themselves on fire in Tibet to protest what they describe as “Chinese occupation,” according to Free Tibet.
The “Free Tibet” movement seeks to recapture sovereignty for the Tibet Autonomous Region, marked by the restoration of power to the Dalai Lama, the highest spiritual leader in Tibetan Buddhism.
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🇺🇸: Protester with Tibetan Flag Sets Himself on Fire Outside UN Headquarters in NYC
On July 2, 2026, a man set himself on fire outside the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan, New York City, in an apparent protest.
He was captured on UN surveillance planting a Tibetan flag… pic.twitter.com/bAxWneUQ26
— World In Last 24hr (@world24x7hr) July 3, 2026