The Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI) and New York City officials have launched an investigation into an “ISIS-inspired act of terrorism” after protesters set fire to suspicious devices near Gracie Mansion, the official residence of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, the BBC reported on Monday.
The development comes almost two days after an anti-Islam protest was held outside Mamdani’s official residence in New York. On March 5, two groups staged demonstrations near Mamdani’s official residence. Conservative influencer Jake Lang organized an anti-Islam protest called “Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York, Stop Public Muslim Prayer in New York City”. 20 participants took part in the demonstration. There was also a counter-protest called “Drive the Nazis out of New York, Stand Up to the Hate”, which peaked at 125 people.
Here is what happened
On March 5, both groups staged protests in areas designated by the police. However, tensions soon escalated, and just before noon, a protester affiliated with Lang’s group used pepper spray against the protesters. Then an 18-year-old protester, said to be from a counter-protest group, ignited a suspicious device and hurled it toward the area where Lang’s group was demonstrating, but it landed in a crosswalk near police officers. The accused then allegedly took the second device from the 19-year-old, set it on fire and dropped it on East End Avenue before both protesters were detained.
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Was Mamdani at his residence?
According to an NBC News report, Mamdani and his wife, First Lady Rama Duwaji, were inside Gracie Mansion at the time of the incident. Joe Calvello, a spokesman for New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, said he and his wife were safe.
What did the police say?
According to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, the suspicious devices, which were both ignited and at least one thrown, “could have caused serious injury or death.” During a press briefing Monday (local time), Tisch added: “We were fortunate that the devices used this weekend did not cause the damage that they were certainly capable of causing. But luck is never a strategy. Devices like this have the potential to cause devastating damage.”
She also said analysis of the devices, which were described as smaller than a football and appeared to be wrapped in jars with black tape, showed they were made from triacetone triperoxide, a dangerous and highly volatile homemade explosive.
The report suggests the devices were made from glass bottles and were filled with explosive material and surrounded by shrapnel or nuts and bolts with a firework-type detonator.
In a post on X, the FBI wrote that the agency, along with the New York Police Department (NYPD), confirmed that the suspicious objects thrown at Mamdani’s residence were improvised explosive devices (IEDs).
In addition, the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force (JTTF) will conduct interviews, review videos, gather evidence and pursue all leads.”
Mamdani’s remarks on the protest against Islam
Hours after the incident, Mamdani said on Sunday that the anti-Islam protest was rooted in bigotry and racism, adding that what followed was “even more disturbing.” Mamdani added that violence at a protest is unacceptable and that an attempt to use an explosive that can injure others is not only criminal but also reprehensible and the opposite of who we are.
