Witnesses have told of a man setting himself on fire in Melbourne while crying out about Victoria's vaccine mandates.

Emergency services were called to the scene of a car bursting with flames on Church St, Richmond at about 8pm on New Year's Day.

Officers to doused the man in water in desperate scenes before pinning him down and arranging an ambulance escort.

The Herald Sun reported that one woman who helped restrain the man said that "skin was burning until he was covered with water".

⚠️ WARNING DISTRESSING FOOTAGE: Witnesses have told of a man setting himself on fire in Melbourne while crying out about Victoria's vaccine mandates.

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The woman said that the man's skin was so burnt it had stuck to her shirt.

“He was off his face screaming about the mandates,” the witness said.

Diners at nearby restaurants were shocked by the scenes, one detailing how the man had purposely covered himself and the car with gasoline before setting himself alight.

“He was screaming about mandates. He was screaming: no vax ID and throwing books,” witnesses reported.

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