'Ignited device' hurled at NY far-right protesters

NEW YORK:

New York counterterror police said they were investigating on Saturday after a man threw "ignited devices" near far-right protesters demonstrating outside the mayor's home.

NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said the devices contained nuts, bolts and screws as well as a fuse — but it was not yet clear if they were functional improvised explosive devices, or hoax imitations.

The FBI New York said in an X post that its Joint Terrorism Task Force was "actively investigating", along with New York City Police.

There was no indication the incident was related to the ongoing hostilities in Iran, Tisch added. Police arrested six people over unrest at the protest, she said, including two suspects in connection with the devices.

Far-right influencer Jake Lang was demonstrating against alleged "Islamification" and calling for an end to "public Muslim prayer" in New York in front of Gracie Mansion, the residence of mayor Zohran Mamdani, who is Muslim.

His protest drew around 20 people, police said, while counterprotesters numbered about 125.

A man wearing a dark hooded sweatshirt and beige cargo pants was handed a device wrapped in tape and billowing smoke by a fellow activist. He dropped it near a line of police before vaulting a crash barrier.

The man also threw a similar device near Lang's group of protesters.

"Witnesses reported seeing flames and smoke as it travelled through the air before it struck a barrier a few feet from police officers," Tisch told a briefing, naming the suspect as Amir Balat, 18.