New York, March 8 (IANS) Six individuals were detained on charges related to launching smoking projectiles filled with bolts and screws outside the home of Mayor Zohran Mamdani during an anti-Muslim demonstration.
Authorities said tensions escalated on Saturday (local time) during a demonstration organised by far-right activist Jake Lang.
Police clarified that Mayor Mamdani and his wife were not present at the residence during the demonstration. A spokesperson for the mayor condemned the protest, describing it as “Islamophobic and deeply offensive.”
Lang had called for a protest under the banner “Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City,” which drew a small group of supporters to the area. According to reports, about 20 individuals joined him, many wearing American flag-themed hats and sweatshirts bearing the word “Freedom,” a slogan associated with conservative activist Charlie Kirk.
As the demonstration progressed, more than 100 counterprotesters gathered nearby, shouting slogans and confronting the group. The situation quickly deteriorated as both sides engaged in heated exchanges.
Witnesses said the first signs of violence emerged when one of Lang’s supporters used pepper spray on counterprotesters, causing several people to experience irritation and tears. The incident triggered further chaos as pushing and fistfights broke out within the crowd. Protesters also began throwing eggs at one another amid the escalating confrontation.
The situation worsened when a counterprotester reportedly hurled two smoking objects into the area. One of the devices landed on East 87th Street and briefly caught fire, causing panic among those gathered as people rushed to move away from the scene.
New York Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the devices appeared to be jars wrapped in tape and filled with items such as nuts, bolts, and screws, along with what she described as a “hobby fuse.” Officials stated that each device was slightly smaller than a football. Bomb squad specialists were deployed to examine the objects and determine whether they were real explosives or improvised dummy devices.
Police confirmed that six individuals were taken into custody following the unrest. Among those arrested were 18-year-old Emir Balat, who authorities allege threw the devices, and 19-year-old Ibrahim Nikk, who is accused of supplying one of them. Another suspect, identified by law enforcement sources as 21-year-old Ian McGinnis, was detained for allegedly using pepper spray on counterprotesters.
Officials said the exact charges against Balat and Nikk were still under review as investigators continued to analyse the devices. McGinnis was expected to face a charge of reckless endangerment.
Even after the immediate danger subsided, tensions remained high in the neighbourhood. Protesters continued shouting slogans, banging drums, and throwing objects, including food items, while nearby residents and pedestrians sought shelter inside local stores, uncertain about the cause of the unrest.
The protest came amid a broader atmosphere of political tension in the United States, with recent demonstrations and counterprotests in several cities turning confrontational. Lang, who previously participated in the January 6 United States Capitol attack, has been linked to several controversial rallies in recent months.
–IANS
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