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In a dramatic turn of events, footage captured by onlookers shows officers from the New York City Police Department (NYPD) apprehending an 18-year-old counter-protester. The young man was accused of igniting and hurling what was believed to be an explosive device during competing demonstrations near Gracie Mansion, the official abode of New York City’s Mayor, Zohran Mamdani.
Tensions began to mount as two distinct groups gathered near East End Avenue and East 87th Street late on Saturday morning, according to a statement from NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
The first protest, entitled “Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City: Stop New York City Public Muslim Prayer,” was spearheaded by individuals linked to Jake Lang, a pardoned participant in the January 6th riots, and attracted about 20 attendees.
Simultaneously, a counter-demonstration named “Run the Nazis out of New York City: Stand Against Hate” unfolded nearby, drawing a crowd that peaked at approximately 125 people.
An attendee was seen throwing a makeshift explosive device during the rally opposing public Muslim prayer on Saturday in New York City. (Reuters/Eduardo Munoz)
Despite NYPD officers separating the groups into designated protest areas, tensions escalated shortly before noon and a protester associated with Lang used pepper spray against counter-protesters, Tisch said.
Tisch said there was “a period of time” between the pepper spray incident and the arrest, as officers at the scene investigated.
About 30 minutes later, officials said a counter-protester identified as 18-year-old Emir Balat threw an “ignited device” toward the protest area, landing in the crosswalk of East 87th Street and East End Avenue.
Far-right activist Jake Lang leads a rally to stop public Muslim prayer, Saturday, in New York City. (Reuters/Eduardo Munoz)
Witnesses reported seeing flames and smoke as it traveled through the air, before it struck a barrier and extinguished itself a few feet away from police officers.
Balat ran south on East End Avenue, toward 86th Street, and retrieved a second device from a 19-year-old man identified as Ibrahim Nikk, according to Tisch. He then lit the second device and started running.
Authorities said Balat dropped the second device on the west side of East End Avenue, between East 86th and East 87th streets, before officers took Balat and Nikk into custody.
Video showed police detaining Balat, with his face pressed into the pavement, as he shouted expletives and words in another language.
Three additional arrests were made at the protests related to disorderly conduct and obstructing traffic, according to Tisch.
A man is detained by police officers during a New York City rally, Saturday, near Gracie Mansion. (Reuters/Eduardo Munoz)
Responding bomb squad crews examined the devices, which were a bit smaller than a football, and found they appeared to be jars wrapped in black tape.
Using X-rays, authorities determined the devices contained nuts, bolts and screws — often used as improvised shrapnel in homemade explosives — along with a hobby fuse that could be lit.
“We do not yet know whether the devices were functional improvised explosive devices or hoax devices, because we don’t yet know if there was energetic material contained in them,” Tisch said.
Officers continue to conduct manual and K-9 sweeps of surrounding blocks, inspecting garbage cans, vehicles and other locations where additional devices could potentially be hidden. No additional devices have been found, as of Saturday evening.
A man throws a hand-made explosive during a rally Saturday. (Reuters/Eduardo Munoz)
Both recovered devices are being transported by the bomb squad in a total containment vessel for further testing and analysis, Tisch said.
Tisch noted she believes Mamdani and his family were not home during the incident.
“I have been in regular communication today with Mayor Mamdani about the situation,” she said. “As of now, there is no indication that this is related to the ongoing hostilities in Iran, but the investigation is still ongoing given the heightened threat environment.”
The commissioner also thanked responding officers for “running toward danger when everyone else runs away.”
“Let me be clear: that happened today. Officers, many of whom are here with me, ran toward a man carrying an ignited suspicious device,” Tisch said. “They put the safety of others and their sworn duty to protect and serve above their own personal safety, and I am grateful that there were no injuries associated with the incident today. Today, as always, I thank our police for their noble service.”
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