UPPER EAST SIDE, Manhattan (WABC) — Local and federal authorities are investigating after dueling protests near Gracie Mansion resulted in multiple arrests and several suspicious, smoke-generating devices being thrown.
Six people were arrested after two suspicious devices were thrown during the protests on Saturday afternoon. Eyewitness News cameras were rolling as they tackled and arrested a man.
Police say no one was hurt during the protest.
The NYPD says the chaos began around noon when two demonstrations converged on each other and tension escalated.
According to investigators, known agitator Jake Lang organized a “Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City” protest with about 20 people. The counter-protest with “Run the Nazis out of New York City’s Stand Against Hate Group,” had about 125 participants.
Around 12:30 p.m., an 18-year-old counter protester lit and threw a device at 87th Street and East End Avenue. A second device was taken from a 19-year-old counter protester and dropped between 86th and 87th Streets at East End Avenue.
Moments earlier, police say cameras captured the suspect, a counter protester identified as Emir Balat, 18, getting a second device from Ibrahim Nikk, 19, and igniting it, sending a cloud of smoke into the air.
The two counter protesters were arrested for handling the suspicious devices. Another protester was arrested for deploying pepper spray and additional people were taken into custody for disorderly conduct and obstructing traffic.
Meanwhile, the NYPD is continuing to investigate whether the devices were functional or hoax devices. FBI New York’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is also actively investigating the matter.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch spoke about the protests during a press conference on Saturday.
“The devices, which were a bit smaller than a football, appear to be a jar wrapped in black tape,” Tisch said. “At this time, we do not yet know whether the devices were a functional improvised explosive devices or hoax devices.”
Businesses in the nearby area tell Eyewitness News they were impacted by Saturday’s events.
“They’re disturbing more business, small business, mom-and-pop more than anything else because everything north of us is closed,” said Phil Philips, owner of the Mansion Restaurant.
Philips says he has had a front row seat to history.
“I’ve been here in this restaurant my entire life, so I’ve watched demonstrations in the sixties, race riots – I’ve watched demonstrations with Vietnam,” he said, “This didn’t serve any purpose whatsoever other than people arguing with each other.”
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s press secretary released a statement following the protests and arrests, reading in part:
“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.”
Mamdani has not spoken publicly about the dueling protests yet.
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