A man attempts to set himself on fire outside the court where Donald Trump is being tried in New York

Police identified the perpetrator as a man born in 1987, originally from Florida. His condition is considered “serious” but “he is alive,” said the New York fire chief.

The images of the drama, broadcast by American channels and on social networks, are impressive. On Friday April 19, a man tried to set himself on fire in front of the Manhattan court in New York, where Donald Trump is appearing. Just before starting the fire, he had thrown writings into the air which “relate to conspiracy theories”, according to police. The latter specified: “There is information about Ponzi schemes and that some of our schools are fronts for the mafia.”

Police identified the perpetrator as a man born in 1987, originally from Florida, and named Maxwell Azzarello. His condition is judged “severe” but “he is alive”, said New York Fire Chief Laura Kavanagh during a press briefing.

No disruption for Donald Trump’s trial

The events occurred around 1:30 p.m., or 7:30 p.m. Paris time, in front of media teams deployed in the street to cover the trial. We see the victim, both hands behind his head, transform into a human torch for several seconds before falling to the ground. Police rushed to the man. After long seconds of burning, his body collapsed to the ground. A man then used a fire extinguisher against the blaze.

The drama outside court, the first since the trial opened Monday, unfolded around the time Judge Juan Merchan, who is presiding over the proceedings, proclaimed that the full jury had been selected to judge the former American president, i.e. twelve incumbents and six alternates. He did not disrupt the historic trial of Donald Trump. Around 3 p.m. local time, 8 p.m. Paris time, the hearing resumed and the former President of the United States did not make any comments upon his return to the courtroom.