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An intense video was shot of New York City Police Department (NYPD) officers defeating an 18-year-old protester accused of lighting and throwing a firecracker Saturday during protests from Gracie Mansion, which is the official residence of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.
Tensions began to build when two separate protests gathered near East End Avenue and East 87th Street on Saturday morning, according to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
The first protest, called “Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City: Stop New York City Public Muslim Prayer,” was organized by people associated with the protester who was pardoned on January 6. Jake Langand attracted about 20 participants.
A counter-protest, “Run the Nazis out of New York City: Stand Against Hate,” took place nearby, with about 125 participants at its peak.
A man throws an improvised explosive device during a Muslim community prayer rally, Saturday, in New York City. (Reuters/Eduardo Munoz)
Although NYPD officers separated groups from designated protest areas, tensions escalated shortly before noon and a protester allied with Lang used pepper spray against protesters, Tisch said.
Tisch said there was a “time” between the pepper-spraying incident and the arrest, as police were on the scene investigating.
About 30 minutes later, officials said a protester identified as 18-year-old Emir Balat threw a “detonated metal” at the protest site, landing in the intersection of East 87th Street and East End Avenue.
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Right-wing activist Jake Lang leads a Muslim community prayer stop, Saturday, in New York City. (Reuters/Eduardo Munoz)
Witnesses reported seeing flames and smoke as it took off, before it hit a barrier and extinguished itself a few meters away from the police.
Balat ran south on East End Avenue, near 86th Street, and retrieved a second device from a 19-year-old man identified as Ibrahim Nikk, according to Tisch. Then he turned on the second device and started working.
Authorities said Balat dumped a second device on the west side of East End Avenue, between East 86th and East 87th streets, before police took Balat and Nikk into custody.
The video showed the police arresting Balat, his face staring at the pavement, while he shouted insults and words in another language.
Three others were also arrested in the protests related to disorderly conduct and disrupting traffic, according to Tisch.
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A man was arrested by police during a rally in New York City, Saturday, near Gracie Mansion. (Reuters/Eduardo Munoz)
Bomb squad responders examined the devices, which were smaller than a soccer ball, and found them to be jars wrapped in black tape.
Using X-rays, authorities determined the devices consisted of nuts, bolts and screws – often used as improvised explosive devices in homemade explosives – and a hobby fuse that could not be lit.
“We don’t know yet whether these explosives were improvised explosive devices or hoaxes, because we don’t yet know if there was any active substance in them,” said Tisch.
Police are continuing to sweep the blocks by hand with a K-9, checking trash cans, cars and other places where more equipment may be hidden. No additional devices have been found, as of Saturday evening.
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A man throws a homemade firecracker during a rally on Saturday. (Reuters/Eduardo Munoz)
Both recovered ordnances are being transported by the bomb squad to the ship’s complete wreckage for inspection and analysis, Tisch said.
Tisch noted that he believed that Mamdani and his family were not at home at the time of the incident.
“I have been in constant communication with Mayor Mamdani about this situation,” he said. “So far, there is no indication that this is related to the ongoing conflict in Iran, but the investigation is ongoing given the extremely dangerous situation.”
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The commissioner also thanked the responding officers for “running away from danger when everyone else was running away.”
“Let me be clear: that happened today. The police, most of whom were with me, ran towards the man who was carrying something suspicious and burnt,” said Tisch. “They put the safety of others and their sworn duty to protect and serve above their own safety, and I am thankful that there were no injuries associated with this incident today. Today, as always, I thank our police officers for their excellent work.”
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