A man set himself on fire on Friday outside of the Manhattan Criminal Courthouse where former president Donald Trump is sitting for his New York hush money trial.
The NYPD identified the man as Max Azzarello, 37, from Florida. NYPD officials said Azzarello had used an “alcohol-based substance used for cleaning” to set himself on fire, after throwing “propaganda-based” flyers into the air.
Azzarello could be clearly seen lying on the ground on fire at around 1.30 pm. Passersby rushed to douse the flames and he was rushed away on a stretcher by emergency crews.
Azzarello is in critical condition in a burn unit, police said Friday. Officials believe he had traveled from Florida to New York in the last few days.
Azzarello apparently claimed in a blog post earlier on Friday that he was going to set himself on fire outside the courthouse in an “act of protest.” The NYPD said all of Azzarello’s social media profiles will be scrubbed.
READ MORE: Man in critical condition after setting himself on fire outside Trump trial
The former president was inside the courtroom at the time of the incident, according to CNN. A Secret Service agent briefed Trump in the gallery of the courthouse on the situation.
Police said it is unclear if Azzarello’s act of protest was related to Trump’s trial, but an investigation is ongoing.
Trump’s trial will take place in the Manhattan courtroom for the next few weeks, forcing him to juggle his roles as criminal defendant and presidential candidate.
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