Man with a Tibetan flag dies after setting himself on fire in front of UN headquarters

A man holding a Tibetan flag in front of the United Nations headquarters in New York has died after setting himself on fire on Thursday, according to officials.

Law enforcement responded to a 911 call at about 6:30 p.m. and found a 52-year-old man with severe burns throughout his body, according to the New York Police Department.

The man was taken to the hospital and later pronounced dead, according to police.


Law enforcement are investigating the self Immolation. Officials say they were not able to comment on what prompted the man to set himself on fire.

The man's name has not been released because his family hasn’t been notified yet, according to police.

A United Nations spokesperson said the incident happened after all scheduled meetings were finished for the day.

China says Tibet has been part of its territory since the mid-13th century, and its Communist Party has governed the Himalayan region since 1951. But many Tibetans say they were effectively independent for most of their history and the Chinese government wants to exploit the resource-rich region while crushing its cultural identity.

China does not recognize Tibet’s government-in-exile, which is called the Central Tibetan Administration, and it hasn’t held dialogue with the Dalai Lama’s representatives since 2010.