Zohran Mamdani
Authorities in New York City are investigating whether improvised explosive devices hurled during a protest near the mayor Zohran Mandani’s residence were part of an IS-inspired terror act, the city’s police commissioner said on Monday, according to news agency AP.The devices, which did not detonate, were thrown during tense counterprotests on Saturday near Gracie Mansion, where demonstrators had gathered for a “Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City” rally led by far-right activist Jake Lang.
Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the explosives, containing nuts, bolts, screws and a hobby fuse, could have caused serious injuries or fatalities had they exploded.Two people have been taken into custody for their alleged involvement in the incident, though they have not yet been charged, Tisch said at a press briefing. Authorities are working with federal prosecutors and the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force as part of the investigation.“I can confirm this morning that this is being investigated as an act of ISIS-inspired terrorism,” Tisch said.She added that investigators have not found any link to Iran or the ongoing conflict overseas.“At this time, we do not have any information that connects this investigation to what’s going on overseas in Iran,” Tisch said.According to police, the sparsely attended rally drew a much larger group of counterprotesters. During the confrontation, a person allegedly tossed a smoking object packed with metal fragments into the crowd. The device extinguished itself a few steps from police officers. The same individual then dropped a second device that did not appear to ignite.Separately, authorities said they discovered a suspicious device inside a vehicle on East End Avenue between 81st and 82nd streets on Saturday. Several nearby streets were closed and buildings evacuated before police removed a Honda Civic from the area using a flatbed truck. The streets were later reopened.Lang, who organised the rally, had earlier been charged with assaulting a police officer, civil disorder and other offences linked to the January 6 Capitol riot, but was released under President Donald Trump’s sweeping clemency order. He has since announced plans to run for the US Senate in Florida.Earlier this year, Lang also organised a rally in Minneapolis supporting Trump’s immigration crackdown, which drew large counterprotests that forced the event to disperse.