FBI and NYPD probe improvised explosive outside Gracie Mansion

Federal and city counterterrorism teams are investigating after two ignited devices were thrown into a crosswalk outside Gracie Mansion during clashes between an anti-Islam protest and a larger counter-protest, officials said. The episode forced police to secure the Upper East Side block, conduct canine sweeps and canvas surrounding streets for additional hazards.

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch described one device as an improvised explosive. "The bomb squad responded and … based on a preliminary examination and X‑ray imaging, the devices, which were a bit smaller than a football, appeared to be a jar wrapped in black tape, importantly with nuts, bolts and screws along with a hobby fuse that could be lit," Tisch said. She added that at least one device was "an improvised explosive device that could have caused serious injury or death."

Video footage shows "a man apparently yelling 'Allahu Akbar' just as a protester throws an 'ignited device' during an anti‑Islam demonstration," and NYPD camera recordings captured the sequence on East 87th Street at East End Avenue, a short distance from the mayoral residence. Witnesses and officials said flames and smoke were visible as the first device struck a barrier a few feet from officers before extinguishing.

Police detained six people at the scene and took two men into custody on allegations tied to the devices, including an 18-year-old identified by officials as Emir Balat and a 19-year-old identified as Ibrahim Nikk. Tisch detailed Balat's actions, saying he lit and threw the first device, ran away, received a second device from another man, lit it and then dropped it. Multiple law enforcement sources told investigators that two men arrested in connection with the incident admitted to being inspired by ISIS, a claim officials say is under active review.

The FBI New York office said its Joint Terrorism Task Force is "actively investigating" alongside NYPD. City officials praised officers who moved toward the scene; Tisch commended them for "putting the safety of others in their sworn duty to protect and serve above their own personal safety." Mayor Zohran Mamdani and his wife were reported safe. "The mayor and his wife are safe, and Mamdani has been in contact with Tisch," said Joe Calvello, the mayor's press secretary.

Preliminary field exams and X‑ray imaging guided removal and containment, while laboratory analysis is pending to determine the devices' exact composition. Investigators are exploring whether the explosive included unstable homemade components, but officials cautioned that forensic results must await safe testing procedures.

The incident highlights a policy tension for New York governance: how to preserve the right to protest while preventing the spread of violent tactics that can endanger bystanders and public officials. The presence of the FBI JTTF elevates the inquiry into the federal counterterrorism sphere and raises questions for prosecutors about whether to pursue state or federal charges. It also underscores operational issues for city security at official residences during periods of heightened political and international tension.

Authorities said there is no continuing threat to public safety as detectives review video, interview witnesses and prepare forensic reports. Prosecutors in Manhattan and federal prosecutors will determine whether to file terrorism-related charges after a full evidentiary review.