Man sets himself on fire outside Trump’s Manhattan hush money trial

The man doused himself in a liquid before throwing conspiracy-theory pamphlets into the air, police said.

A man has set himself on fire outside the court in Manhattan where former President Donald Trump’s hush-money trial is being held.

The man doused himself in a liquid before throwing conspiracy-theory pamphlets into the air, police said.

His motive is unknown and police responded to the scene.

Mr Trump was in the building to attend jury selection, where he has had a security detail, but the former president left during the incident.

Emergency officials said that court security had not been breached in the incident. The case, which had just completed alternate jury selection, resumed later in the afternoon. Opening statements are expected to begin on Monday.

In a news conference, investigators said they had received a 911 emergency call at around 13:30 local time (18:30 BMT) telling them that a man had lit himself on fire.

They identified him as Maxwell Azzarello, 37, who had arrived in New York from his home in Florida sometime in the past week. He has no criminal record in New York, and his family in Florida were unaware that he had travelled to the city.