New Delhi, July 3 -- A Tibetan man set himself on fire on Thursday (local time) outside the United Nations headquarters in Manhattan, with the horrifying incident captured on a livestream.

The man, identified by a friend as Lobga Rangzen, was reportedly protesting China's occupation. He was dressed in full monastic attire when he planted a Tibetan flag on the sidewalk and later self-immolated along the busy street during the evening rush, the New York Post reported.

The protester, who has lived in the United States for roughly two decades, crumbled to the ground in less than a minute after he was engulfed in flames. Nearly 15 seconds later, first responders with fire extinguishers doused the flames. The police said that Rangzen, 42, was...