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Mamdani bomb threat row: Mayor slams ‘white supremacist’ Jake Lang; social media says, ‘he didn't…’
Mamdani criticized Jake Lang as “white supremacists,” while condemning the explosive incident. Laura Loomer, among others, accused him of shielding suspects.
Amid the bomb threat row at Gracie Mansion, the residence of the New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani on Friday, a row has erupted between the New York City Mayor and the far-right social media, led by Jake Lang.
Lang, who was leading the protest outside Gracie Mansion on Saturday when explosives and smoke-generating devices were thrown at the protesters. Two individuals, named Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi, were arrested over the incident, New York City Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch said on Sunday.
As developments in the incident unfolded on Sunday, with the arrest of a third individual, Ian McGinnis, 21, of Philadelphia, far-right social media was involved in a whole different war of words.
Zohran Mamdani Faces Backlash Over Reaction
It started with a post Zohran Mamdani made on his social media handles Sunday, shortly after a press conference by NYPD Commissioner Tisch. In the post, Mamdani took aim at the group of protested associated with Jake Lang, calling them “white supremist.” He also called the hurling of explosives at the protestor's "criminal" and "the antithesis of who we are."
Far-right social media accused Mamdani of purportedly shielding the individuals involved in throwing of explosives outside Gracie Mansion in NYC's Upper East Side.
Also read: NYPD boss Jessica Tisch gives update on Gracie Manion incident; ‘not a hoax’
Laura Loomer, a popular far-right influencer, hit out at Mamdani saying: "So Zohran Mamdani calls Jake Lang a White Supremacist but he won’t describe who threw the bomb at Jake: A Muslim jihadist Mamdami (sic) supporter."
End Wokeness, a popular far-right account on X, wrote: "Here's what you left out: An explosive was thrown by MusIims They were shouting ‘Allah Akhbar’ Emir Balat and Ibrahim Nikk"
Note: There is no evidence to suggest that that the suspects who threw explosives outside Gracie's Mansion were shouting any slogan. Additionally, nothing shows they were supporters of Zohran Mamdani.
"Who attempted to use the explosive device?" Tomi Lahren, a Fox News host, wrote.
"So let me get this straight: Protestor Jake Lang = White Supremacist Violent people who created and threw BOMBS IN THE CITY SHOUTING ALLAH AKHBAR= ??????????" Matt Van Swol wrote.
Jessica Tisch Says Devices 'Not A Hoax'
Commissioner Jessica Tisch on Sunday said that the investigation into the devices recovered from outside Gracie Mansion was real explosives and was not a hoax device or a smoke bomb.
They were "an improvised explosive device that could have caused serious injury or death," Tisch said, adding that "further analysis will be conducted, including on a second device."
"Emir Balat and Ibrahim Kayumi were arrested on scene yesterday and are in custody in connection with this matter," she noted. "The NYPD is working on this investigation with our partners at the U.S. Attorney’s Office for the Southern District of New York and the FBI through our Joint Terrorism Task Force."
