A witness statement from a Fox News story: "But she said she did notice that another man with a tripod was standing nearby and had disappeared by the time the police had arrived. "
If this cameraman had some idea that this was going to go down, then IMO, it was a political statement (like most immolation events).
The military salute certainly sounds as though he had at least some political tinge to his act.
I read a few witness comments saying the same thing on the day it happened. Between that, and this new report of the man giving a military salute before lighting the fire, I question the conclusion that this wasn't a political act. I hope we learn more about this man's background. Was he a veteran?