TERRIBLE: Protestor Sets Himself on Fire Outside UN Headquarters in New York

A protestor has died after setting himself on fire outside the United Nation headquarters in Manhattan, NY.

On Thursday evening, Lobga Rangzen, who is originally from Tibet, wore full monastic garb and put a Tibetan flag on the sidewalk before self-immolating.

Apparently, he was protesting China’s occupation of Tibet.

As he was burning, he scattered papers that read: “China Out of Tibet.”

Here’s some harrowing footage from the scene (the graphic imagery is blurred out):

First responders tried to save Rangzen, but it was too late.

He was taken to a hospital, where he was quickly pronounced dead.

From the New York Post:

Rangzen, who has lived in the US for about 20 years and worked as an Uber driver, crumbled to the ground less than a minute after he was engulfed in flames as passing cars honked their horns.

About 15 seconds later, a pair of first responders with fire extinguishers doused the flames.

Rangzen, 42, was taken to Bellevue Hospital, where he was pronounced dead, police said.

One witness, a 37-year-old man from New Jersey, said that he “just saw some smoke from over there, gushing up.”

“It was a big flame with fire,” he continued, adding that he saw two officers from the UN put out the flames.

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“Thank god they were there, but it was too late man.”

By the time first responders arrived, Rangzen’s breathing was so faint his survival seemed unlikely, the witness said.

“He was too far gone.”

Lobsang Paljor, a fellow Uber driver and friend of Rangzen, said he met Rangzen through their local Tibetan community and was shocked that he self-immoluted.

Paljor said his friend embraced peaceful protests.

“No, never aggression,” Paljor told The Post. “But he was always like, you know, peaceful protest, as always,” he continued.

Paljor emphasized that Rongzen opposed the Chinese occupation and that he wanted “to have a complete, free Tibet.”

Sadly, self-immolation has become a rather common form of protest for Tibetans who are unhappy with China’s occupation.

Here’s a photo of Rangzen:

🇺🇸 The man who set himself on fire outside the UN has been identified as 42-year-old Lobga Rangzen, a Tibetan activist who spent two decades in America.

Dressed in full monastic garb, Rangzen planted a Tibetan flag on the sidewalk at 42nd and First during Thursday's evening… https://t.co/ABKjs32iM0 pic.twitter.com/xpaW0JqKQe

— Mario Nawfal (@MarioNawfal) July 3, 2026

The man who set himself on fire outside the UN has been identified as 42-year-old Lobga Rangzen, a Tibetan activist who spent two decades in America.

Dressed in full monastic garb, Rangzen planted a Tibetan flag on the sidewalk at 42nd and First during Thursday’s evening rush, then self-immolated as cars honked past, capturing the act on a livestream.

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First responders doused the flames within seconds, but he was pronounced dead at Bellevue.

Papers at the scene read “CHINA OUT OF TIBET.”

His death carries a long, grim lineage.

Since 2009, more than 150 people have set themselves on fire in Tibet protesting what they call Chinese occupation, calling for the Dalai Lama’s return and freedom for the region.