The mayor of New York, Zohran Mamdani, has expressed his regret over the suicide last Friday of the Tibetan activist Lobga Rangzen in front of the United Nations building, where he set himself on fire in an act of protest that, according to Tibetan media, would be related to the claim of independence of this region under Chinese sovereignty.
"The death of activist Lobga Rangzen has left me heartbroken. No one should reach the point of thinking that such a desperate act is the only way to get the world to listen to you," the social democratic mayor has published on social media.
"New York," he assured, "will always defend dignity and Human Rights, and mourns this tragic loss before extending its condolences to his loved ones and the Tibetan community throughout this city, which is ours."
A representative of the New York Police Department explained to Europa Press that officers found the man "with severe burns all over his body" after responding to the intersection of 42nd Street and First Avenue, following an emergency call around 6:30 p.m. (local time) on Thursday.
The man, 52 years old, was treated at the scene before being evacuated "in critical condition" to Bellevue Hospital, where his death was ultimately confirmed. "The investigation is active and ongoing at this time," said the spokesperson, adding that the identity of the deceased will not be made public until his family has been informed.
Hours earlier, Voice of Tibet, a media outlet managed by Tibetans in exile, had disseminated the video of the man's self-immolation, identifying him as Loga Rangzen, and stated that he set himself on fire in front of the United Nations headquarters "after publishing a call for Tibetan independence and unity."
The incident occurs after the entry into force on July 1 of the Law on the Promotion of Ethnic Unity and Progress, a regulation criticized by organizations and activists who see in it an attempt by Beijing to reinforce the assimilation of the country's minorities, a point that the Chinese authorities have denied.