Emir Balat, 18, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19, were arrested after Balat allegedly lit and threw a first explosive device toward protesters, then retrieved a second from Kayumi, lit it, and dropped it near police before being tackled. The devices were homemade, contained TATP (triacetone triperoxide), and had nuts and bolts attached. Both suspects confessed to being inspired by ISIS, with Balat telling authorities he pledged allegiance to the group and said his attack aimed to be 'even bigger' than the Boston Marathon bombing. According to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch, body-worn camera footage shows Kayumi responded with 'ISIS' when asked why he'd done this during his arrest.
The protest was organized by far-right provocateur Jake Lang, a pardoned January 6 rioter, under the banner 'Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City.' Lang had promoted the demonstration and promised to burn a Quran at the site, though he did not appear to follow through. A counter-protest called 'Run Nazis Out of New York City' drew about 100-125 people, leading to clashes that included pepper spray use and fisticuffs. New York City Comptroller Mark D. Levine said the two individuals arrested for use of ignitable devices were part of the counter-protest, not Lang's group, indicating a complex dynamic at the scene.
Violence escalated with six people arrested in total in connection with the incident, including Ian McGuiness, 21, who was arrested for allegedly using pepper spray on counter-protesters. The first improvised explosive device, which did not explode, was thrown as anti-Islam protesters clashed with counterprotesters. The same man who threw the IED lit a second bomb, dropped it on the street and ran, and it also did not explode, with images from the scene showing smoke and what appeared to be an unexploded homemade device.
Mayor Mamdani was inside Gracie Mansion during the incident and was safe, according to multiple reports. He issued a statement condemning the protest as rooted in bigotry and racism and thanking the NYPD. It was not immediately clear whether Mamdani and first lady Rama Duwaji were home at the time of the incident, adding uncertainty to the personal risk involved.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch initially said it was unclear if the devices were actual explosives or hoaxes, with analysis ongoing. The devices were described as jars wrapped in black tape containing nuts, bolts, screws and a hobby fuse. However, preliminary test results later determined the devices were not hoax devices nor smoke bombs, but improvised explosive devices that could have caused serious injury or death. NYPD and FBI bomb technicians conducted controlled detonations of the two IEDs from Saturday's protest, resulting in a 'significant explosion,' confirming their destructive potential.
The FBI and NYPD are investigating the attempted bombing as an act of ISIS-inspired terrorism. Two men face charges of providing material support to a terrorist organization and using a weapon of mass destruction after homemade bombs were tossed during protests near Mayor Zohran Mamdani's home on Saturday. Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi also face charges of transportation of explosive materials; unlawful possession of destructive devices; and interstate transportation and receipt of explosives, according to research sources.
This was an instance of everyday New Yorkers following a clear message: If you see something, say something.
Balat and Kayumi are from Bucks County, Pennsylvania, in the Philadelphia suburbs, according to major media reports. Balat was seen on security footage buying a 20-foot roll of firework safety fuse at Phantom Fireworks in Penndel, Pennsylvania, on March 2. Police found a car tied to the suspects with another possible suspicious device and materials consistent with explosive devices. Tests are being performed on devices recovered, and the FBI searched a Pennsylvania storage unit, though the current status of that investigation remains unknown.
Additional arrests and related incidents have emerged in the broader context. An undocumented migrant, Bairon Hernandez, was arrested for allegedly shoving an Air Force veteran onto subway tracks; he had been deported four times previously. Alexander Heifler, 26, was arrested in New Jersey for allegedly planning a violent attack against pro-Palestinian activist Nerdeen Kiswani, with eight Molotov cocktails found in his home. Mayor Mamdani said Heifler was an alleged member of the Jewish Defense League, an FBI-designated violent extremist organization.
Police response was swift, with officers on scene for a scheduled demonstration near East End Avenue and 88th Street when alerted to two suspicious devices at approximately 11:40 a.m., with no injuries or property damage reported. Two people are in custody after suspicious devices were found outside Gracie Mansion during an anti-Islam demonstration Saturday morning. The entire incident was captured on NYPD Argus cameras, providing crucial evidence for the investigation.
Conflicting information and investigation unknowns persist. Le Singulier reports the main suspect is 18, threw an incendiary object twice, and shouted a religious formula; the investigation has ruled out links to the Middle East conflict. A third device found Sunday is being investigated in connection with Saturday's incident and tested negative for explosive material. The exact content of the religious formula shouted by the suspect remains unknown, as does what specific ISIS propaganda Kayumi watched on his phone, highlighting gaps in the understanding of their radicalization.
In a subsequent incident, New York City police closed several streets and a park near Mayor Zohran Mamdani's official residence on Tuesday over a suspicious device, before clearing it and determining it posed no threat. The NYPD said East End Avenue between 85th and 87th streets and East 86th Street between York Avenue and East End Avenue were closed, and Carl Schurz Park was also shut. The device was later cleared and found to be non-threatening, with the NYPD stating that it was an instance of everyday New Yorkers following the 'see something, say something' message. This incident came days after police determined that a device thrown during a protest outside Gracie Mansion was an improvised explosive capable of causing serious injury or death, with two men arrested and in custody.
Mayor Mamdani hosted Columbia activist Mahmoud Khalil for a Ramadan dinner at Gracie Mansion on Sunday night, the day after the bombing attempt. Khalil, a Palestinian activist, was arrested by ICE in March 2025 and later released by a federal judge. This activity underscores the mayor's continued engagement amid security concerns, though what charges, if any, will be filed against the additional individuals arrested beyond Balat and Kayumi is still pending.