The New York Police Department is investigating homemade explosives that were thrown at protesters outside Gracie Mansion, home of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani, this past weekend.
Police have said that two men committed an alleged “act of ISIS-inspired terrorism.” New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said two explosive devices were lit on Saturday and a third possible explosive device was found in a vehicle nearby.
Tisch said one of the devices contained TATP, which is a “dangerous and highly volatile homemade explosive” that has been used in explosive attacks around the world. It also reportedly included nails and screws.
Two Pennsylvania men, Emir Balat, 18, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, were arrested and were charged Monday with five counts each, including attempted support for a designated foreign terrorist organization (ISIS), use of a weapon of mass destruction and transportation of explosive materials across state lines, according to the federal criminal complaint.
The explosives were thrown at protesters involved in a rally to stop the “Islamic takeover of New York City.” Counterprotesters were also present.
Mamdani, the city’s first Muslim mayor, said he and his wife were not at home at the time. He and his office said the protest was “rooted in bigotry and racism.”
“Such hate has no place in New York City. It is an affront to our city’s values and the unity that defines who we are,” Mamdani said. “What followed was even more disturbing. Violence at a protest is never acceptable.”
Mamdani praised the NYPD for acting quickly and said his team is closely monitoring the situation.
“They are suspected of coming here to commit an act of terrorism. There is video of these two individuals throwing two devices towards the protest. The police department has determined that these were improvised explosive devices made to injure, maim or worse,” Mamdani said.
He confirmed that police found a third device in a nearby car and out of an abundance of caution, police evacuated nearby buildings. Testing later confirmed that the third device did not have explosive material.
Tisch confirmed the two men will be prosecuted in Manhattan federal court.
“The safety and security of the entire city ultimately rests on the judgment and the courage of the men and women of the NYPD, and on Saturday, we saw that in its truest form,” she said. “When those devices were ignited in the middle of a crowded protest, officers did not step back.”