Man dies after self-immolation protest outside Trump courthouse on Friday

The Florida man who set himself on fire outside a New York City courthouse on Friday has died of his injuries.

New York City Police Department officials named the man as 37 year-old Max Azzarello from Florida. 

Azzarello had poured an accelerant on himself then set himself on fire across the street from the courthouse where jurors for the upcoming criminal trial of former US President Donald Trump were being selected. 

The incident took place in full view of the news cameras that had been waiting for jurors to be selected for Trump’s trial over alleged hush money payments. 

The incident did not appear to have been targeting the former President, however.

Eyewitnesses are reported as saying that Azzarello had thrown pamphlets into the air before setting himself ablaze. A NYPD Chief of Department told the press that the pamphlets outlined a propaganda-based conspiracy theory. 

Max Azzarello photographed holding up a sign in the weeks before his death

Before his deadly protest, Azzarello had posted on his Substack newsletter, explaining that his actions were intended to draw attention to the U.S. political and economic system, criticising both Trump and current President Joe Biden, as well as cryptocurrency and the federal government.

"My name is Max Azzarello, and I am an investigative researcher who has set himself on fire outside of the Trump trial in Manhattan," the post says. 

"To my friends and family, witnesses and first responders, I deeply apologize for inflicting this pain upon you," he wrote. 

The post goes on to claim that the U.S. government was involved in a "totalitarian Ponzi scheme" that was intended to shatter the world economy.