A Tibetan activist tragically died on Thursday after setting himself on fire outside the United Nations Headquarters in New York City. Police found the man, an Uber driver, with severe burns and he was pronounced dead at the hospital. The Tibetan National Congress identified him as 52-year-old Lobsang Palden, also known as Lobga Rangzen. He had dedicated his life to peaceful protests against China's human rights abuses in Tibet. Before his self-immolation, Rangzen livestreamed a message calling for Tibetan independence and discussing the Chinese occupation. He stated his actions were for Tibet's freedom, not personal reasons. His final message urged continued struggle for Tibetan independence. Jamyang Norbu of the Tibetan National Congress emphasized Rangzen's act was for Tibet's political freedom. This is the first known Tibetan self-immolation in the United States, with over 150 occurring in Tibet since 2009. The Chinese Communist Party has reportedly intensified crackdowns and punishments in response to such protests. The U.S. has previously sanctioned Chinese officials over human rights abuses in Tibet.