ISIS-Inspired Attackers Deploy Explosives at Anti-Muslim Protest Outside Mayor Zohran Mamdani's Residence

On March 7, 2026, an anti‑Muslim protest at Gracie Mansion, New York City’s mayoral residence, escalated when improvised explosive devices were ignited or deployed, leading to multiple arrests and a terrorism investigation.

“Violence at a protest is never acceptable”

ABC News

Six people were arrested after improvised explosive devices were ignited during an anti‑Muslim protest outside New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s official residence, Gracie Mansion.

ABC News

The NYPD Bomb Squad’s preliminary analysis found the device was a real improvised explosive device capable of causing serious injury or death, and a second device is also under analysis.

Investigators are treating the incident as a possible act of terrorism, and the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force is leading the probe.

Two Pennsylvania men have been identified and detained in connection with the device deployments, and federal prosecutors have moved to charge them, though details vary across reports.

Several outlets identified the suspects as Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi.

Associated Press News

People named them as "Emir Balat, 18, and Ibrahim Kayumi, 19," while NPR used the name "Amir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi."

La Vanguardia reported federal prosecutors charged "two 19-year-old men, Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi," and U.S. News & World Report's criminal complaint description included an identification of "Balat" with a different age in its account.

These discrepancies in spelling and reported ages appear in contemporaneous coverage.

Reporting describes the devices as jar-sized, wrapped with duct tape and packed with nails or hardware, and at least one device tested positive for the explosive TATP.

“Attorney's Office for the Southern District of New York, per a Bureau _Editor's note: This article has been updated with additional comment from Jessica Tisch_ facebook (opens in new window) twitter (opens in new window) linkedin (opens in new window) email (opens in new window) sms (opens in new window) What to read next Skip to main content Updated 2 hours ago - Politics & Policy "Explosive" device thrown outside NYC Mayor Mamdani's residence: NYPD Rebecca Falconer facebook (opens in new window) twitter (opens in new window) linkedin (opens in new window) email (opens in new window) sms (opens in new window) Add Axios as your preferred source to see more of our stories on Google”

Axios

Outlook India said police described the homemade devices as 'jars wrapped in black tape with nuts, bolts and screws and fitted with hobby fuses.'

U.S. News reported a criminal complaint stating a 'jar-sized device that contained the explosive TATP, a fuse and an outer layer of duct-taped nuts and bolts' was tossed into the crowd.

ABC News and People noted bomb-squad technicians and the FBI sent devices for further testing, with at least one device preliminarily identified as an improvised explosive capable of causing serious injury or death.

The demonstration was organized by far-right influencer Jake Lang under an anti-Islam slogan.

It featured a small group of right-wing protesters who were met by a larger counter-demonstration, during which scuffles and pepper-spray use were reported.

City & State New York

DW described the confrontation as starting with "a small group (about 20) protesting... organized by far-right agitator Jake Lang, faced roughly 125 anti-fascist counterprotesters," and noted "a scuffle broke out early on, with police arresting a member of Lang’s group for pepper-spraying counterprotesters."

La Vanguardia and People similarly linked the rally to Lang and the 'Stop the Islamic takeover of New York' slogan.

The Times of India reported provocative acts during the rally, including a participant carrying a pig during Ramadan.

City officials and federal prosecutors characterized the attack as inspired by or linked to ISIS content, and local leaders condemned the violence and praised law enforcement.

“The actions of two men who deployed two explosive devices against an anti-Muslim protest were being “investigated as an act of ISIS-inspired terrorism,” NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said Monday”

City & State New York

Mayor Zohran Mamdani called the protest 'rooted in bigotry and racism' and rejected political violence.

DW

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch and U.S. Attorney Jay Clayton praised the response and vowed accountability.

NPR noted officials linked the events to 'the broader influence of social media and online culture'.

NPR reported Mamdani and Tisch praised the NYPD for quickly stopping the alleged attack and arresting the suspects.

La Vanguardia and The Washington Post described federal charges against the men.

La Vanguardia said prosecutors charged the men with 'attempting to support the Islamic State and with using weapons of mass destruction,' while The Washington Post reported federal prosecutors charged them with 'attempting to support a foreign terrorist organization and using a weapon of mass destruction'.

The two outlets' wording differs on the named group and on the phrasing of the weapons allegation, which is a contradiction between sources.