Man sets himself on fire outside Trump trial in horrific scene as onlookers watch wild
Horrifying scenes unfolded outside Donald Trump‘s hush money trial on Friday after a man set himself on fire in an act of extreme political protest.
Max Azarello doused himself in gasoline before taking a lighter to his clothes near Manhattan criminal court.
He was seen kneeling with his hands behind his head as the world’s media and horrified onlookers watched.
NYPD officers rushed to extinguish the flames. The man was taken away in a gurney and remains in the hospital in critical condition.
He was seen throwing pamphlets in the air moments before he set himself ablaze at the city’s Collect Pond Park.
It remains unclear if the protest was in support of or against the former president, who is currently on trial for hush money payments made to Stormy Daniels.
Pamphlets found at the scene link to a Substack written by an ‘investigative researcher’ Azzarello. A post published moments before the horrifying incident, reads: ‘I have set myself on fire outside the Trump Trial.’
Maz Azzarello has set himself on fire outside the Donald Trump trial in horrifying scenes on Friday
Azzarello doused himself in gasoline before taking a lighter to his clothes near Manhattan criminal court
Fliers spotted at the scene of the self-immolation shortly after it occurred. It has not been confirmed if they belong to the victim
The pamphlets found at the scene link to a Substack written by an ‘investigative researcher’ Max Azzarello
A post published moments before the horrifying incident, reads: ‘I have set myself on fire outside the Trump Trial.’
The disturbing scenes played out in front of the world’s media as well as horrified onlookers
Witnesses described the incident as a ‘political protest’ although it was not clear what side he was on
The tragedy unfolded while former president Trump (pictured on Friday morning) was inside the courthouse
The Substack is a rambling anti-establishment diatribe which claims the world is the victim of a ‘totalitarian con’. He also warns of a ‘an apocalyptic fascist world coup’.
Disturbing footage showed the man dropping to his knees with his hands behind his head while engulfed in the flames.
‘I’ve never seen something like that in my life,’ eyewitness Charles Udoaka told DailyMail.com.
‘I was crossing the park and saw a fire and then it just ignited. People were screaming and trying to use a fire extinguisher to put the fire out.’
‘It was completely out of the blue,’ Kennedy Mack, who was visiting from South Carolina said.
‘He started throwing brochures around and then poured gasoline on himself, two or three gallons.
‘He took out a match or lighter and set himself completely on fire. He kneeled down as if he was praising somebody. He didn’t say anything.
‘It was awful why would anyone do that to themselves. I wish we never came this way now.’
CNN‘s Laura Coates was live on air narrating the chaos as it unfolded.
‘I see a totally charred human being,’ Coates said.
After a few minutes, dozens of police officers rushed over and tried to smother the flames
Devastated eyewitnesses described hearing screams as the man went up in flames
Witnesses described how the man began throwing political flyers prior to dousing himself. It is unclear if these pamphlets pictured belonged to him
Fred Gates from Astoria, was in the park a short distance away.
‘I saw him take a backpack off pull out two cans of gasoline and proceed to take one can and pour it over himself on both sides. I was yelling for police to come in,’ he said.
‘People started to run away, I included. I got half way from the park and that’s when he went. He threw a bunch of fliers in the air.
‘He had nothing on his t-shirt. He seemed very calm, quiet and didn’t say anything. I was very close to him It became apparent it may be some a dangerous situation and we all ran away from him.
‘I first thought it was fake, he was doing some kind of protest where he would use fake gasoline. I didn’t think it was real.
‘It seemed like he was burning for 5 minutes. There was no help. Everybody was screaming and watching this.’
At around 2.20pm police described the man as in a ‘critical condition’ and said they are still working to understand the full circumstances.
The terrifying incident unfolded outside the court room where jury selection was taking place.
As of 2.20pm police described the individual as in a ‘critical’ condition
New York Police officers inspect the scene where a man lit himself on fire in a park outside Manhattan criminal court
White fire extinguisher residue marks the spot where the incident took place in Collect Pond Park
Trump was outside of the courtroom, but still inside the court house when it happened well away from the chaos.
The full jury of seven men and five women has been selected for his hush money trial.
Members include an investment banker and a speech therapist who admits he ‘doesn’t like’ his policies.
The court has to select five more alternates, after one was chosen last night.
Trump’s legal team has already used all their strikes to get rid of potential jurors.
It comes just two months after Air Force engineer Aaron Bushnell died by setting himself on fire.
Bushnell, 25, self-immolated in protest against the war in Gaza on February 25.
More to follow