Two devices were ignited outside Gracie Mansion, the New York City mayor’s residence, during a clash between opposing protest groups Saturday, police said. Two people were arrested in connection with the devices, which are still being analyzed.
The incident unfolded during the Islamic holy month of Ramadan outside the home of New York City’s first Muslim mayor, Zohran Mamdani, and his wife Rama Duwaji.
An anti-Islam protest organized by right-wing influencer and pardoned January 6 rioter Jake Lang drew roughly 20 participants, while a counter-protest called “Drive the Nazis Out of New York” peaked at about 125 people, NYPD Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch said.
The two groups were separated into designated protest areas by NYPD officers, but tensions escalated shortly before noon. At around 12:15 p.m., a protester associated with Lang’s group used pepper spray against counterprotesters, Tisch said.
About 20 minutes later, an 18-year-old counterprotester “lit and threw an ignited device toward the protest area,” which landed on a crosswalk, Tisch said.
“Witnesses reported seeing flames and smoke as it traveled through the air before it struck a barrier and extinguished itself a few feet from police officers,” she added.
The man then ran southbound to retrieve a second device from a 19-year-old man before lighting it and starting to run, Tisch said. He dropped the second device on a street, and officers secured the area, taking both men into custody.
The NYPD bomb squad examined both devices, preliminarily determining they were slightly smaller than a football and appeared to be a jar wrapped in black tape containing bolts, screws and a hobby fuse, Tisch said.
View of a device described by officials as “suspicious” that was thrown by man towards police during a protest outside Gracie Mansion in New York City. – Charly Triballeau/AFP/Getty Images
It’s not yet clear whether they were functional improvised explosives or hoax devices. No injuries were reported.
FBI New York’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is working with the NYPD on the investigation, the bureau said.
In total, six people were arrested: the two responsible for the devices, the person who deployed pepper spray and three others for disorderly conduct and obstructing traffic, Tisch said.
Mamdani’s spokesperson called the Lang-organized protest “despicable and Islamophobic,” saying the events “are a stark reminder of the threats they both face regularly.”
The mayor and his wife are safe, and Mamdani has been in contact with Tisch, said press secretary Joe Calvello.
Officers established a safety perimeter and began canine sweeps and manual canvassing of surrounding blocks to search for additional hazards, which is still ongoing, Tisch said.
She said there is no indication the incident is related to the ongoing conflict in Iran but stressed the investigation remains active “given the heightened threat environment.”
Tisch commended officers for running toward the man carrying the ignited device, “putting the safety of others in their sworn duty to protect and serve above their own personal safety.”
New York Gov. Kathy Hochul said she had been briefed and was “grateful there are no reported injuries.”
“New York respects the right to peaceful protest, but we have zero tolerance for hate or violence,” Hochul said.
CNN’s Gloria Pazmino contributed to this report.
For more CNN news and newsletters create an account at CNN.com