New York state will remain in a “heightened threat environment” after an alleged terrorist attack outside the Gracie Mansion on March 7, Gov. Kathy Hochul said in a statement on Monday.
Two people were arrested following the attack in which improvised explosive devices (IEDs) were thrown during a counterprotest of an anti-Islamist group’s protest in New York City over the weekend. New York City Police said that two devices outside Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s residence could have injured or killed someone and that the suspects were inspired by the ISIS terrorist group.
State Police, she said, will be deployed to sensitive areas across the state and will also support the NYPD’s investigation. Meanwhile, the more than 1,000 National Guard members who are already deployed will stay in New York City transit areas, she said.
Tisch also said that officials “do not have any information that connects” the alleged terrorist plot with the U.S.-Israeli conflict with Iran that has been ongoing since Feb. 28.
“The NYPD Bomb Squad has conducted a preliminary analysis of a device that was ignited and deployed at a protest yesterday and has determined that it is not a hoax device or a smoke bomb,” Tisch wrote in a social media post on Sunday. “It is, in fact, an improvised explosive device that could have caused serious injury or death.”
“They are suspected of coming here to commit an act of terrorism,” he said. “There is a video of these two individuals throwing two devices towards the protest. The police department has determined that these were improvised explosive devices made to injure, maim, or worse.”
Around 20 people came to a protest organized by Jake Lang, who was convicted and later pardoned for his involvement in the Jan. 6, 2021, U.S. Capitol breach.
The March 7 event was called “Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City,” and it occurred outside of the mayor’s residence. Around 125 counter-protesters were present at one point, according to police.
Tisch stated in the news conference that tensions escalated when a protester from Lang’s group used pepper spray against the counter-demonstrators. One of the suspects then allegedly lit and threw a device at the protesters, she said.