U.S. Authorities Investigating After Explosive Device Thrown Near Mamdani’s Mayoral Mansion. What to Know
Two people were arrested after homemade explosive devices were thrown at a demonstration held by far-right influencer Jake Lang outside Gracie Mansion in New York City, U.S., on March 7, 2025.Matthew Hoen—NurPhoto/Getty Images
Posted For: Hannible
Federal authorities have launched an investigation after a homemade explosive device was thrown during a confrontation between far-right demonstrators and counterprotesters outside New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s official residence on Saturday.
A preliminary review by the New York Police Department’s bomb squad found that the device was not a hoax or smoke bomb but an improvised explosive that “could have caused serious injury or death,” New York City Police Commissioner Jessica S. Tisch said Sunday. Two men were arrested at the scene.
The FBI said in a statement that its Joint Terrorism Task Force is assisting the NYPD and the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York in the investigation.
The incident took place during a clash between counterprotesters and an anti-Islam protest led by far-right activist Jake Lang outside Gracie Mansion, the mayor’s official residence. According to the FBI, two devices were thrown during the confrontation.
Mayor Mamdani, the city’s first Muslim mayor, was at home with his wife, Rama Duwaji, at the time. In a statement Sunday, he condemned the violence, saying that using an explosive device at a protest is “not only criminal” but also “reprehensible and the antithesis of who we are.” He added that his administration is closely monitoring the situation.
New York Governor Kathy Hochul also responded on X, thanking first responders and stating that “there is no place for violence of any kind in our state and those responsible for this cowardly act will be held accountable.”
What happened
Police say a counterprotester identified as Emir Balat, 18, threw an ignited device toward the protest area at about 12:38 p.m. Saturday. According to Commissioner Tisch, the device was smaller than a football and appeared to be a jar wrapped in black tape containing nuts, bolts, and screws, along with a hobby fuse.
Witnesses reported seeing flames and smoke as the object traveled through the air, but the device struck a barrier and went out a few feet from police officers, Tisch said.
Balat was arrested along with Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, who police say supplied one of the projectiles. No one was injured, and formal charges had not yet been filed as of Sunday.
Four additional protesters were arrested during the unrest, including Ian McGinnis, 21, who was accused of using pepper spray against counterprotesters.
Later Sunday, while the investigation continued, the NYPD identified a suspicious device inside a vehicle on East End Avenue between 81st and 82nd streets. Nearby buildings were evacuated as a precaution. Police later removed the device safely and reopened the area.
People linked to the incident
CBS News reported that Balat, a U.S. citizen, lived with his parents in Pennsylvania. His parents were born in Turkey and became naturalized U.S. citizens in 2017.
Kayumi’s parents were reportedly born in Afghanistan and became naturalized U.S. citizens in 2004 and 2009.
ABC-owned WPVI-TV reported that FBI agents searched the homes of both suspects in Bucks County, Pennsylvania—Kayumi’s home in Newtown and Balat’s home in Langhorne.
Kayumi’s father, Khayer Kayumi, told The New York Times that the family began looking for their son when he did not return home Saturday afternoon.
“If he’s going to be five minutes late, he calls,” he said. “We didn’t know what was going on.”
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