A terror scare erupted in America’s tourist hotspot when suspected homemade bombs packed with nuts, bolts, and screws were hurled toward a crowd.
The devices were tossed during dueling protests late Saturday morning near Gracie Mansion, the mayor’s residence on Manhattan’s Upper East Side in New York City.
NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch said investigators are still working to determine whether the devices were functional explosives or hoaxes, adding the information released so far is early and could change as the investigation develops.
Police say the first protest began around 11 a.m. near Gracie Mansion. The demonstration — titled “Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City, Stop New York City Public Muslim Prayer” — drew about 20 participants and was organized by individuals associated with January 6 defendant Jake Lang.
A counter-protest nearby called “Run the Nazis out of New York City, Stand Against Hate” drew roughly 125 people at its peak. Officers separated the two groups into designated protest areas, but tensions escalated shortly before noon.
At 12:15 p.m., police say a protester associated with the Lang demonstration used pepper spray against counter-protesters and was arrested.
Fast forward 20 minutes. The situation intensified.
Police say an 18-year-old counter-protester identified as Amir Balat lit and hurled an ignited device toward the protest area. Witnesses reported seeing flames and smoke trailing the device as it flew through the air before striking a barrier and extinguishing just feet from police officers.
Balat then ran from the scene, where investigators say he obtained a second device from a 19-year-old man tentatively identified as Ibrahim Nick.
Police say Balat lit that device while running before dropping it nearby. Officers quickly moved in, secured the area and took both men into custody. The incident was captured on NYPD surveillance cameras.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
WATCH: NYPD tackle man who allegedly set off a “homemade smoke bomb.” Police are now ordering everyone to clear the area.<a href="https://twitter.com/Bodittle?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@Bodittle</a> | <a href="https://twitter.com/TPUSA?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@TPUSA</a> <a href="https://t.co/lUnciJLJ25">pic.twitter.com/lUnciJLJ25</a>
— FRONTLINES TPUSA (@FrontlinesTPUSA) <a href="https://twitter.com/FrontlinesTPUSA/status/2030341117053382819?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
Bomb squad technicians responded to examine the devices. Tisch said early inspections suggest the objects appeared to be jars wrapped in black tape, slightly smaller than a football, packed with nuts, bolts, and screws and fitted with a hobby fuse that could be ignited.
Investigators are still working to determine whether the devices were functional improvised explosive devices or hoaxes, as it remains unclear whether they contained explosive material.
Both devices were transported by the bomb squad to the department’s Rodman’s Neck facility for further testing and analysis.
Police established a safety perimeter and searched the surrounding area for additional hazards, using canine units and manually inspecting garbage cans, vehicles, and nearby locations.
In total, six arrests were made in connection with the events. Those arrests include the two men accused of handling and deploying the devices, the protester who used pepper spray earlier in the demonstration, and additional individuals charged with disorderly conduct and obstructing traffic.
Some on social media are claiming Balat or Nick yelled “Allahu Akbar,” though that has not been confirmed by authorities.
Tisch praised officers who rushed toward the danger as the situation unfolded.
“I always speak about the police running toward the danger when everyone else runs away,” the commissioner said. “Let me be clear — that happened today.”
“I am grateful that there were no injuries associated with the incident,” she added.
Tisch said she has remained in contact with Mayor Zohran Mamdani throughout the day. Authorities say there is currently no indication the incident is connected to ongoing hostilities involving Iran, though the investigation remains active.
<blockquote class="twitter-tweet">
Watch as <a href="https://twitter.com/NYPDPC?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">@NYPDPC</a> and NYPD executives brief the media on an ongoing investigation. <a href="https://t.co/FgTRZHumPV">https://t.co/FgTRZHumPV</a> <a href="https://t.co/MKsui1817S">pic.twitter.com/MKsui1817S</a>
— NYPD NEWS (@NYPDnews) <a href="https://twitter.com/NYPDnews/status/2030422025928310810?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw">March 7, 2026</a></blockquote>
Frontlines TPUSA reporter Bronson Alford told The Daily Wire that the counter-protesters from &#8220;Drive the Nazis out of New York&#8221; were not your average demonstrators.
“The protesters weren’t normal protesters; they were ANTIFA and their goal was to hurt as many conservative journalists as they could,” Alford told The Daily Wire. Alford said things escalated when protesters started screaming “Bomb, bomb, bomb.” His surroundings began to fill with smoke saying it smelled like something had been ignited.

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Arrests Made After Homemade Explosives Cause Terror Scare In NYC