Six people were taken into custody Saturday after two homemade explosive devices were thrown outside Gracie Mansion during opposing demonstrations near the site, police said. The incident occurred around 12:30 p.m. as anti- and pro-Muslim demonstrators gathered in the area.
Witnesses said dozens of protesters and counter-protesters moved away from the scene after smoke began coming from one of the devices, which appeared to have a lit fuse and was wrapped in duct tape.
No injuries were reported, and no explosion occurred, according to the New York City Police Department. Officers also recovered a second device at the location.
Police said the items consisted of glass jars wrapped in electrical tape that contained bolts, screws, and nuts, along with a hobby-style fuse that could be lit.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said investigators were working to determine whether the devices were functional and whether they contained any explosive material. The investigation is ongoing.
“I always speak about the police running towards the danger when everyone else runs away. Let me be clear, that happened today. Officers, many of whom are here with me, ran toward a man carrying a suspicious device. They put the safety of others and their sworn duty to protect and serve above their own personal safety, and I am grateful that there were no injuries associated with the incident,” she said.
“Today, as always, I thank our police for their noble service,” Tisch added.
The New York Post reported that the NYPD is investigating, along with the Joint Terrorism Task Force, per police sources.
Police said an 18-year-old counter-protester identified as Emir Balat allegedly lit and threw the first device into a crosswalk at the intersection of East 87th Street and East End Avenue during Saturday’s demonstrations.
According to authorities, the device struck a barrier and extinguished itself without detonating.
Investigators said a second individual, tentatively identified as Ibrahim Nikk, 19, allegedly handed the device to Balat before the incident.
Police further allege that Balat later lit a second improvised device, which he dropped while running along East End Avenue between East 86th and East 87th streets.
“We’re not tracking any injuries,” sources told The Post. Police also said reports that one of the devices was a nail bomb are not accurate.
“We’re not going to get into that yet,” a police spokesman told The Post when asked which group brought the devices.
Lang later claimed, “There was an assassination attempt on my life today by two Muslim men, who threw what appears to be a nail bomb, landing a few feet from me and my team. We will never surrender to radical Islam. Jesus is King.”
Mayor Mamdani’s Press Secretary, Joe Calvello, released a statement late Saturday, saying: “The ‘Crusade Against Islamification’ gathering held outside Gracie Mansion today by Jake Lang, a vile white supremacist, was despicable and Islamophobic.
“Thankfully, the Mayor and the First Lady are both safe, though the events are a stark reminder of the threats they both face regularly,” he claimed. “The Mayor has spoken with Police Commissioner Tisch, and the NYPD is actively investigating the protest, counter-protest, and suspicious devices discovered outside Gracie Mansion.”
Meanwhile, Mamdani said Friday that his wife’s private views should not be tied to his leadership of the city after questions surfaced about her social media activity following the Oct. 7, 2023, attacks in Israel.
Mamdani addressed the issue during a news conference after being asked about Instagram posts liked by his wife, Rama Duwaji, The New York Times reported. The activity was highlighted in a report that said Duwaji liked several posts supportive of the Palestinian cause shortly after the Hamas-led attack on Israel.
Israeli authorities say roughly 1,200 people were killed in the attack and 251 people were taken hostage.