Six people were arrested after suspected homemade explosive devices were thrown near the official residence of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani during a tense protest Saturday night.
Authorities say the incident unfolded outside Gracie Mansion, the mayor’s official residence on Manhattan’s Upper East Side.
An X video from the scene quickly began circulating online, showing chaos as protesters scattered after the objects were thrown.
According to police, the devices appeared to be crude explosives packed with nuts, bolts and screws.
Jessica Tisch said investigators are still determining whether the devices were fully functional bombs or hoax explosives.
One of the devices was reportedly thrown near a line of police officers guarding the protest.
Witnesses told authorities they saw flames and smoke coming from the object as it flew through the air.
The device ultimately struck a barrier only a few feet away from the police.
A second device was thrown toward a group of protesters gathered nearby.
Police moved quickly to secure the scene and detained multiple individuals connected to the incident.
Six suspects were ultimately arrested following the attack.
One of the suspects was identified as 18-year-old Amir Balat.
Authorities have not yet announced what charges the suspects may face.
Officials also said there is no indication the incident is connected to the escalating conflict in the Middle East.
The chaos unfolded during a protest organized by Jake Lang.
Lang was demonstrating outside Gracie Mansion while criticizing what he described as the “Islamification” of New York City.
He also called for an end to public Muslim prayer in the city during the protest.
The demonstration drew a relatively small crowd of about 20 supporters, per the Daily Mail.
However, the protest also attracted roughly 125 counter-protesters, increasing tensions in the area.
Despite the frightening incident, Mayor Mamdani and his wife were reportedly not home when the devices were thrown.
Police quickly moved in to control the situation as officers secured the area around Gracie Mansion.
Investigators are now examining the devices and reviewing video from the scene to determine exactly what happened.
The NYPD said the investigation remains ongoing.
Officials have not yet confirmed whether the devices were capable of detonating or were designed simply to intimidate.
Regardless, authorities described the situation as extremely dangerous given how close the devices landed to police officers and protesters.
For now, law enforcement is continuing to piece together the details behind the incident as the suspects remain in custody.
