Two individuals are in custody for their alleged involvement in a confrontation outside Gracie Mansion (Image: Anadolu via Getty Images)
The FBI is probing an incident outside Zohran Mamdani’s New York home as a potential act of terrorism, following one of the suspects’ reference to ISIS during a conversation with police.
Two individuals are in custody for their alleged involvement in a confrontation outside Gracie Mansion on the Upper East Side in Manhattan, which occurred during a « Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City » event organised by far-right activist Jake Lang.
The thinly attended event attracted a significantly larger group of counter-protesters, including one individual who hurled a smoking object filled with nuts, bolts, screws and a « hobby fuse » into the crowd, according to police. No explosions or injuries from the devices were reported.
Six people were arrested following Saturday’s protest.
In a social media post on Sunday, Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch stated that the department’s bomb squad had determined the object was not a hoax device or smoke bomb, but an « improvised explosive device that could have caused serious injury or death. »
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She added that further analysis would be conducted, including on a second device.
« The NYPD is working on this investigation with our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the FBI through our Joint Terrorism Task Force, » she wrote.
Later on Sunday, fresh details surfaced from law enforcement sources speaking to Tom Winter of NBC news, who stated it is being evaluated as « a possible act of terrorism » because « one of the suspects directly referenced ISIS in statements to law enforcement. »
The investigation into Saturday’s protests, where the suspicious devices were thrown, continues. On Sunday afternoon, the NYPD Bomb Squad deployed a robot a few blocks away from the protest scene to inspect a car believed to belong to the suspects, both hailing from Pennsylvania, as reported by NBC News.
The investigation into Saturday’s protests, where the suspicious devices were thrown, continues (Image: Getty Images)
The official New York City Police Department X account confirmed the discovery of a suspicious device during its investigation, stating, « In connection with the ongoing investigation into the improvised explosive device deployed yesterday, the NYPD has identified a suspicious device in a vehicle on East End Avenue between 81st Street and 82nd Street. »
Continuing, the NYPD said, « NYPD officers have frozen the area around the vehicle and are conducting limited evacuations of buildings in the vicinity whilst the Bomb Squad assesses and removes the device. »
The NYPD issued an advisory, urging New Yorkers to steer clear of the area of East End avenue between 81st Street and 82nd Street in Manhattan.
What happened in the buildup?
Approximately 20 organisers « associated with far-right provocateur Jake Lang » participated in the anti-Muslim demonstration outside Gracie Mansion, whilst around 120 counter-protesters also assembled, » Tisch informed reporters on Saturday.
She explained that an 18 year old counter-protester threw the suspicious device.
Tisch described the incident, saying, « Witnesses reported seeing flames and smoke as it travelled through the air before it struck a barrier and extinguished itself a few feet from police officers. »
Both suspects were arrested. Four additional individuals were detained, one of whom deployed pepper spray, whilst Tisch said the others were arrested for disorderly conduct and obstructing traffic.
An FBI spokesperson told NBC News that two men detained in the case were taken into federal custody, and they are being interviewed by federal agents and the NYPD.
Mamdani, who is Muslim, was inside the residence at the time of the incident, where his wife, Rama Duwaji, also resides.
Lang was pardoned for charges linked to the 6th January attack on the U.S. Capitol.
He has been responsible for similar rallies in recent weeks, including an anti-immigration protest in Minneapolis in January.
Mamdani released a statement on X about the incident on Sunday, thanking law enforcement officers for acting swiftly on Saturday and that he was working closely with Tisch on the case. « Yesterday, white supremacist Jake Lang organised a protest outside Gracie Mansion rooted in bigotry and racism.
Such hate has no place in New York City. It is an affront to our city’s values and the unity that defines who we are, » Mamdani stated. »
He continued, adding, « What followed was even more disturbing. Violence at a protest is never acceptable. The attempt to use an explosive device and hurt others is not only criminal, it is reprehensible and the antithesis of who we are. »
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