Man Self-Immolates On New Year's Day After Ranting About COVID-19 Vaccine Mandates

In a shocking incident, a man in Australia is fighting for his life after he set himself on fire in public on New Year's Day. He was heard shouting expletives against COVID-19 vaccine mandates before self-immolating.

The man, who has not been identified, doused himself and his car in gasoline and lit himself on fire in Richmond, Victoria, reported News.com. According to the report, the man was yelling expletives about vaccine mandates in Victoria.

The public was alerted about the self-immolation after the man emerged from his burning car while shouting about COVID vaccines. Reports said police and firefighters poured water on the man as they tried to restrain him before putting him into an ambulance.

"His skin was burning. He was on fire," a woman, who witnessed the incident, told Herald Sun. "His skin is stuck to my shirt. He was just off his face screaming about the vaccine mandates."

Another eyewitness said the man poured gas on himself and his car. "It was on purpose. He was screaming about mandates. He was screaming ‘No vax ID’, and throwing books," the witness was quoted as saying by Herald Sun.

Immediately after, the scene was cordoned off by law enforcement. Patrons at local shops and restaurants were asked to remain inside. Crime scene photographers too arrived at the scene searching for evidence.

Reports added that the man was in critical but stable condition.

The incident comes two weeks after Victoria loosened restrictions for unvaccinated people. As per the new changes, people no longer need to be fully vaccinated to access non-essential retail, real estate inspections, auctions, places of worship, weddings and funerals.

But, the vaccine mandate requires people to be vaccinated to access hairdressing and beauty services in Victoria.

Australia is battling another surge as daily cases hit a record of more than 37,000 Monday and the number of people hospitalized climbed.

Hospitals in New South Wales are filling due to surging cases as doctors say the system has "never been this bad." A senior doctor told The Guardian that "even the most routine urgent treatment was already being canceled to divert resources to COVID. In the state alone, the number of patients in intensive care units rose 14% in the previous 24 hours.