US

Man sets himself on fire in protest area outside Trump trial

Man sets himself on fire in protest area outside Trump trial

A man has set himself on fire outside the courthouse in New York where former US President Donald Trump is on trial.

The man was in the designated protest area outside the Manhattan Criminal Court.

The New York Police Department said it has opened an investigation after its officers responded to a fire in the vicinity of 80 Centre Street at around 1:37pm local time (6:37pm UK time).

The force added that the man has been taken to hospital and is in a critical condition.

It comes after jury selection for Trump’s hush money trial concluded with 12 people, and six alternatives, chosen to decide whether the former US president covered up payments to women who alleged they had affairs with him.

Footage shared on social media shows a man lying on his back on the pavement outside the courthouse while the lower part of his body is on fire.

Another man sprays him with a fire extinguisher which appears to put the fire out.

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Police officers are seen running over to the scene as the fire is extinguished.

The former US president was preparing to leave the courthouse before the man set himself on fire in an area set aside for pro and anti-Trump demonstrators.

The man was seen by onlookers to have doused himself in a fluid before the blaze.

He is also said to have thrown pamphlets in the air before setting himself alight.

There was a heavy police presence outside the courthouse due to the high profile nature of the trial.

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