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The New York City Police Department (NYPD) has identified two suspects following an attempted bomb attack outside Gracie Mansion, the residence of Zohran Mamdani, reported CNN.
A video posted by the independent newswire agency Freedomnews captured the moment one suspect passed the device to another shortly before an arrest was made outside the mansion. According to police, the recovered device consisted of a jar wrapped in black tape filled with nuts, bolts, screws and a fuse. These arrests were part of a broader police intervention in which six individuals were detained following a chaotic confrontation between rival protest groups at the official residence. The violence erupted as an anti-Islam demonstration, organised by right-wing influencer Jake Lang, clashed with a larger counter-protest during the holy month of Ramadan, leading to the ignition and deployment of two "suspicious" devices, CNN reported. NYPD Commissioner Jessica S Tisch confirmed that these items, described as slightly smaller than a football, are currently being analysed to determine if they were functional improvised explosives or hoaxes. Detailing the alarming nature of the deployment, CNN reported Commissioner Tisch as saying during a press conference, "Witnesses reported seeing flames and smoke as it travelled through the air before it struck a barrier and extinguished itself a few feet from police officers." According to CNN, the investigation into whether the devices contained "energetic material" is ongoing to establish the true level of threat posed to those present. The escalation reportedly began shortly after midday when a participant from the anti-Islam group allegedly used pepper spray against counter-protesters. CNN reported that approximately 20 minutes later, an 18-year-old counter-protester "lit and threw an ignited device toward the protest area", which landed on a crosswalk. Following the initial throw, the same suspect reportedly ran to a 19-year-old associate to retrieve a second device. He also lit this second object before dropping it on the street as officers moved in to secure the area. Both men were among the six taken into custody during the police sweep. In the aftermath, CNN reported that Mayor Mamdani and his wife, Rama Duwaji, were safe. A spokesperson for the mayor described the Lang-organised gathering as "despicable and Islamophobic", noting that the events served as "a stark reminder of the threats they both face regularly". ". New York Governor Kathy Hochul confirmed she had been briefed on the situation, stating that while the state respects the right to peaceful protest, there is "zero tolerance for hate or violence". Police have clarified there is no current indication the incident is linked to ongoing international conflicts. (ANI)
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