Man sets self on fire outside Trump trial
NEW YORK—A man died after setting himself ablaze on Friday outside the court where Donald Trump is standing trial, throwing pamphlets that police said contained conspiracy theories.
Police named the man as Maxwell Azzarello from St. Augustine, Florida, and said the pamphlets he sought to disseminate “seem to be propaganda-based.”
“(They were) almost like a conspiracy theory type of pamphlet, some information in regards to Ponzi schemes, and the fact that some of our local educational institutes are a front for the mob,” NYPD chief of detectives Joseph Kenny told reporters.
“His condition is not good, but as of now he is still alive.”
Deputy police commissioner Tarik Sheppard said “we just right now labeled (him) a sort of conspiracy theorist, and we’re going from there.”
Chemicals
Burning clothes were strewn in the park, which was locked down by authorities, while ambulances lined up nearby on standby, an AFP correspondent at the scene saw, describing a strong smell of burning chemicals.
The man burned for several minutes in full view of television cameras that were set up outside the courthouse, where the first-ever criminal trial of a former US president is being held.
NBC News and other US media said early on Saturday that the man had died.
TV reporters said the incident unfolded 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.
