• Two men arrested for throwing improvised explosives during a protest near NYC Mayor's residence.
• Investigated as an act of ISIS-inspired terrorism, with potential federal charges pending.
• The explosives could have caused severe injuries or fatalities, according to police statements.
• Protests included far-right demonstrations against public Muslim prayer, countered by larger anti-bigotry crowds.

New York City police have launched an investigation into two men, Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi, who allegedly threw improvised explosive devices (IEDs) during a protest outside Mayor Zohran Mamdani's residence. The incident is being treated as an act of "ISIS-inspired terrorism," reported by police commissioner Jessica Tisch, and no injuries occurred during the event, which escalated following anti-Islam protests led by far-right activist Jake Lang, according to SCMP, India Times, and BBC.

Agents from the FBI and local law enforcement raided the homes of Balat and Kayumi in Pennsylvania following their arrests, collecting evidence as part of a broader investigation into their potential ties to extremist groups. Both suspects were charged with multiple offenses, including attempted support for a foreign terrorist organization and using a weapon of mass destruction, according to authorities and reports from India Times, Dawn, and LA Times.

The preliminary analysis of the devices confirmed they were not hoaxes but viable explosives primarily containing triacetone triperoxide (TATP), a substance commonly associated with extremism. By throwing the devices, Balat and Kayumi created a dangerous situation that could have resulted in serious injuries, as reiterated by Tisch during a press briefing, according to Le Monde, NPR, and SCMP.

The protest that provoked this incident was organized by Jake Lang, whose rhetoric against public Muslim prayer drew significant counter-protests. Lang, who has a controversial history including involvement in the January 6 Capitol insurrection, maintained an anti-Islam message that has faced widespread backlash. His involvement and the subsequent actions of Balat and Kayumi are under scrutiny as authorities investigate the broader implications of such extremist rhetoric, as reported by LA Times, India Times, and BBC.