According to the police, the flyers thrown by the man seem to be based on conspiracies.
Ex-president in New York Donald Trump’s the man who set himself on fire near the court was born in 1987 and comes from Florida. Before his act, the man had thrown pamphlets, which according to the police seem to be based on conspiracies.
Before the rescue service arrived, people around tried to put out the fire with their jackets. The man was taken to the hospital in a critical condition, officials said at a press conference, according to the BBC.
The act took place in a park that is open to the public, and thus the man did not violate any security measures before setting himself on fire, the police said at a press conference held late Friday evening Finnish time.
According to the police, the man did not target any particular person or any groups.
The police are investigating the man’s social media posts. In his publication, the man says he set himself on fire and apologizes for his act to his friends, eyewitnesses and rescue workers. In addition, he criticizes US politicians and cryptocurrency and warns of an apocalyptic fascist takeover.
Eyewitness: The man had been there all week
The man was seen walking into the park in front of the courthouse and throwing pamphlets. After that, according to the police, he pulled something out of the backpack and set himself on fire, he said CNN.
According to witnesses, the man poured liquid on himself and then set himself on fire, he said CBS News.
One eyewitness described pamphlets thrown by the man that apparently made accusations about New York University. Various accusations against the university were also made in the flyer seen by the CNN reporters present.
Some of the flyers referred to, among other things, the former president to George W. Bush and to the former vice president To Al Goretold New York Times.
According to the news agency Reuters, one of the papers refers to “evil billionaires”, but in the text seen by Reuters, Trump was not mentioned by name.
According to an eyewitness, the man had been there all week and was holding a sign.
The man’s burnt clothes were left in the park, and according to a reporter from the news agency AFP who was there, there was a strong smell of chemicals.
A video apparently published by an eyewitness on social media shows a man covered in flames and falling to the ground. After that, the police rushed to the scene to put out the flames.
Sources: AFP, Reuters