Max Azzarello, a 37-year-old from Florida, passed away from his injuries Friday night hours after setting himself on fire in Collect Pond Park in New York City. The incident occurred across the street from the courthouse, where former President Donald Trump was holding a hush money trial. He engaged in this act of protest shortly after handing out pamphlets linked to his newsletter.
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After the incident, Azzarello was rushed to a nearby hospital in critical condition but succumbed to his injuries around 10:30 p.m. Days before the shocking form of protest, Azzarello traveled to New York City from Florida without informing his family and had been actively protesting outside of the courthouse, criticizing political figures from both major U.S. political parties. He also published a manifesto on his Substack account where he expressed his beliefs about an impending “totalitarian con” and “apocalyptic fascist world coup.” He also apologized to his loved ones, witnesses, and first responders who would see his protest:
“These claims sound like fantastical conspiracy theory, but they are not. They are proof of conspiracy. If you investigate this mountain of research, you will prove them too. If you learn a great deal about Ponzi schemes, you will discover that our life is a lie. If you follow this story and the links below, you will discover the rotten truth of “post-truth America’. You will learn the scariest and stupidest story in world history. And you will realize that we are all in a desperate state of emergency that requires your action. To my friends and family, witnesses and first responders, I deeply apologize for inflicting this pain upon you. But I assure you it is a drop in the bucket compared to what our government intends to inflict.”
According to the New York Post, witness William Schoeffler said Azzarello was standing in the park and hit the ground after the fuel burnt off his body: “He didn’t make too much noise; he was very quiet. Pretty horrifying.” The incident also sparked debate on social media about the extent to which individuals will go to express their political views. Before his death, Azzarello had a record of legal troubles in Florida, which included arrests for disturbing the peace and property damage. Police reports also stated that he was suicidal and unemployed.
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Four months ago, on his Instagram page, he had been protesting and breaking rules in St. Augustine by taunting police, embracing the homeless, and celebrating leaving a cult.
