The NYPD says several people were arrested and potential explosive devices were recovered after anti-Muslim protesters and counterprotesters clashed outside Gracie Mansion Saturday afternoon.
According to police, about 20 demonstrators at an anti-Muslim rally organized by Jake Lang, a far-right influencer who was pardoned by President Donald Trump for his actions at the U.S. Capitol on Jan. 6, 2021, clashed with about 125 demonstrators at a counterprotest called “Run the Nazis out of New York City” and “Stand Against Hate.”
Police said at around 12:15 p.m. one of the anti-Muslim demonstrators sprayed counterprotesters with pepper spray and was arrested.
According to police, about 20 minutes later, two counterprotesters threw two separate ignited devices, which Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said were jars wrapped in black tape with nuts, bolts, screws and a hobby fuse. It is unclear if the devices were functional.
No one was hurt, and a total of six people were arrested, according to Tisch.
Authorities said Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the city’s first Muslim mayor, was at Gracie Mansion at the time of the incident.
When asked at a news conference Saturday if there was an immediate threat to the mayor, to the city or to Upper East Side residents, Tisch said, “At this time, we’re doing canvassing and K-9 sweeps. As of now, that canvassing and those sweeps have not turned up any more suspicious devices.”