After ISIS-Inspired Bomb Attempt Outside His Home, Mamdani Focuses on Anti-Muslim Protest

Two men were arrested after improvised explosive devices were thrown during protests outside Gracie Mansion, the official residence of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, in an incident police say is being investigated as an act of ISIS-inspired terrorism. The devices, which failed to detonate, were thrown Saturday during dueling demonstrations on Manhattan’s Upper East Side. Authorities said the explosives could have caused serious injury or death had they exploded.

The incident occurred Saturday during a protest organized by activist Jake Lang opposing what he called the “Islamification of New York City,” which drew about 20 demonstrators and a much larger counterprotest outside Gracie Mansion, where explosive devices were thrown during the confrontation. Mamdani condemned the violence following the incident but focused much of his public response on criticizing the anti-Muslim protest that had taken place outside his residence.

New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said investigators determined that the devices were improvised explosive devices and warned they posed a serious danger. “These were not hoax devices, nor smoke bombs,” Tisch said at a press conference Monday. “They were improvised explosive devices that could have caused serious injury or death.”

Tisch added that the case is being treated as a terrorism investigation linked to the Islamic State. “I can confirm this morning that this is being investigated as an act of ISIS-inspired terrorism,” she said.

Police identified the suspects as Emir Balat, 18, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, both from Pennsylvania. Authorities said the pair had traveled to New York and were arrested shortly after the devices were thrown.

Six people were arrested in total during the protest, though only the two suspects are accused of involvement with the explosive devices. Federal charges against the pair were expected to be unsealed later Monday in Manhattan federal court.

Investigators also discovered a third suspected device inside a vehicle linked to the suspects parked nearby. The device was removed by the NYPD bomb squad using a robot and later determined not to contain explosive material.

In a statement Sunday, Mamdani focused his criticism on the anti-Muslim protest that had taken place outside his residence, even as police said the incident was being investigated as ISIS-inspired terrorism. “Violence at a protest is never acceptable. The attempt to use an explosive device and hurt others is not only criminal, it is reprehensible and the antithesis of who we are.”

Mamdani also described the demonstration as rooted in racism and said such rhetoric had no place in the city. “While I found this protest appalling, I will not waver in my belief that it should be allowed to happen.”

Officials said New York had already been on heightened alert because of the war in Iran, though authorities said there was no immediate evidence linking the incident to the conflict overseas.

The investigation remains ongoing. Authorities said the last time an improvised explosive device targeting people was used in New York City was in 2017.