A man with a Tibetan flag in front of the United Nations headquarters in New York set himself on fire and died Thursday, according to officials. The man, 52, was taken to the hospital and later pronounced dead.

Investigation Underway

Law enforcement responded to a 911 call at about 6:30 p.m. and found the man with severe burns throughout his body, the New York Police Department said. Authorities were investigating and had not commented on what prompted the man to set himself on fire.

The incident occurred after all scheduled meetings were finished for the day, and no U.N. business was affected, according to a U.N. spokesperson. China claims Tibet has been part of its territory for more than seven centuries, but many Tibetans argue they were essentially independent for most of their history and have protested what they regard as Beijing’s heavy-handed rule.

There have been over 150 self-immolations by Tibetans between 2009 and 2022, according to the International Campaign for Tibet. China does not recognize Tibet’s government-in-exile, the Central Tibetan Administration, and has not held dialogue with the Dalai Lama’s representatives since 2010.

Original reporting: Dallas TX News (HLL/CB) — read the source article.