A 52-year-old man died after setting himself on fire while holding a Tibetan flag outside the United Nations headquarters in New York on Thursday evening, police said. The New York Police Department responded to an emergency call around 6:30 p.m. local time and found the man with severe burns.

He was transported to a nearby hospital, where he was pronounced dead. Police stated that an investigation into the incident is underway, and they have not yet confirmed the man's identity or provided a motive for his actions.

However, US media reports and a pro-Tibet activist identified the deceased as Lobga Rangzen, a campaigner for Tibetan rights. Tencho Gyatso, president of the International Campaign for Tibet, described Rangzen as a "tireless advocate for Tibet" who dedicated himself to peacefully raising awareness about the human rights situation in the region.

Gyatso indicated that Rangzen had recently condemned China’s new "Law on Promoting Ethnic Unity and Progress." Overseas Tibetan campaigners have expressed concerns that this law will further erode the rights of ethnic minorities, including Tibetans and Uyghurs, whom they accuse Beijing of persecuting.

The incident occurred as international attention has focused on China's policies in Tibet. Beijing sent troops to Tibet in 1950 and asserts that the region has been an integral part of China for centuries. Conversely, international human rights groups and Tibetan exiles frequently criticize what they describe as China’s oppressive rule in Tibetan areas, an assessment China rejects.

This act of self-immolation echoes a pattern of protest seen among Tibetans. According to the International Campaign for Tibet, there have been over 150 such incidents reported between 2009 and 2022.

A spokesperson for UN Secretary-General Antonio Guterres conveyed sadness over the "tragic and horrific incident" and offered condolences to the man's family. The UN has not commented further on the specific circumstances or any potential connection to the organization's activities.

The United States and the European Union have also voiced concerns regarding China's new ethnic unity law, noting that it could provide Beijing with a legal basis to take action against individuals outside its borders. The Dalai Lama, the 90-year-old spiritual leader of Tibet, has lived in India since fleeing Lhasa in 1959 after a failed uprising. China does not recognize the Tibetan government-in-exile and has not engaged in dialogue with representatives of the Dalai Lama since 2010.