<p class="speakable">Dramatic video captured <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/us/new-york-city" rel="noopener" target="_blank">New York City</a> Police Department (NYPD) officers subduing an 18-year-old counter-protester accused of lighting and throwing a suspected explosive device Saturday during dueling demonstrations just steps from Gracie Mansion, the official residence of New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani.</p><p class="speakable">Frictions began to build when two separate protests gathered near East End Avenue and East 87th Street late Saturday morning, according to NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch.</p><p>The initial protest, called "Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City: Stop New York City Public Muslim Prayer," was organized by individuals associated with pardoned Jan. 6 rioter <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/anti-islam-protesters-muslims-clash-dearborn-michigan-after-man-attempts-burn-quran" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><u>Jake Lang</u></a>, and drew about 20 participants. </p><p>The counter-protest, "Run the Nazis out of New York City: Stand Against Hate," took place nearby, with roughly 125 participants at its peak.</p><p>Despite NYPD officers separating the groups into designated protest areas, tensions escalated shortly before noon and a protester associated with Lang used pepper spray against counter-protesters, Tisch said.</p><p>Tisch said there was "a period of time" between the pepper spray incident and the arrest, as officers at the scene investigated.</p><p>About 30 minutes later, officials said a counter-protester identified as 18-year-old Emir Balat threw an "ignited device" toward the protest area, landing in the crosswalk of East 87th Street and East End Avenue.</p><p><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/us/man-allegedly-assaulted-flagpole-minneapolis-anti-ice-agitators-violent-parking-garage-attack" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><strong>MAN ALLEGEDLY ASSAULTED WITH FLAGPOLE BY MINNEAPOLIS ANTI-ICE AGITATORS IN VIOLENT PARKING GARAGE ATTACK</strong></a></p><p>Witnesses reported seeing flames and smoke as it traveled through the air, before it struck a barrier and extinguished itself a few feet away from police officers. </p><p>Balat ran south on East End Avenue, toward 86th Street, and retrieved a <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/us/terror/bombings" rel="noopener" target="_blank">second device</a> from a 19-year-old man identified as Ibrahim Nikk, according to Tisch. He then lit the second device and started running.</p><p>Authorities said Balat dropped the second device on the west side of East End Avenue, between East 86th and East 87th streets, before officers took Balat and Nikk into custody.</p><p>Video showed <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/us/crime/police-and-law-enforcement" rel="noopener" target="_blank">police detaining</a> Balat, with his face pressed into the pavement, as he shouted expletives and words in another language.</p><p>Three additional arrests were made at <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/us/us-regions/northeast/new-york" rel="noopener" target="_blank">the protests</a> related to disorderly conduct and obstructing traffic, according to Tisch.</p><p><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/nyc-mayor-mamdanis-wife-liked-social-media-post-calling-oct-7-sexual-violence-investigation-hoax-report" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><strong>NYC MAYOR MAMDANI’S WIFE LIKED SOCIAL MEDIA POST CALLING OCT 7 SEXUAL VIOLENCE INVESTIGATION A ‘HOAX’: REPORT</strong></a></p><p>Responding bomb squad crews examined the devices, which were a bit smaller than a football, and found they appeared to be jars wrapped in black tape.</p><p>Using X-rays, authorities determined the devices contained nuts, bolts and screws — often used as improvised shrapnel in homemade explosives — along with a hobby fuse that could be lit. </p><p>"We do not yet know whether the devices were functional improvised explosive devices or hoax devices, because we don't yet know if there was energetic material contained in them," Tisch said.</p><p>Officers continue to conduct manual and K-9 sweeps of surrounding blocks, inspecting garbage cans, vehicles and other locations where additional devices could potentially be hidden. No additional devices have been found, as of Saturday evening.</p><p><a href="https://www.foxnews.com/politics/mamdani-finally-speaks-out-about-iranian-regimes-deadly-crackdown-protesters" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><strong>MAMDANI FINALLY SPEAKS OUT ABOUT IRANIAN REGIME'S DEADLY CRACKDOWN ON PROTESTERS</strong></a></p><p>Both recovered devices are being transported by the bomb squad in a total containment vessel for further testing and analysis, Tisch said. </p><p>Tisch noted she believes <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/person/zohran-mamdani" rel="noopener" target="_blank">Mamdani and his family</a> were not home during the incident.</p><p>"I have been in regular communication today with Mayor Mamdani about the situation," she said. "As of now, there is no indication that this is related to the <a href="https://www.foxnews.com/category/politics/defense/wars/war-with-iran" rel="noopener" target="_blank">ongoing hostilities in Iran</a>, but the investigation is still ongoing given the heightened threat environment."</p><p><a href="https://foxnews.onelink.me/xLDS?pid=AppArticleLink&amp;af_dp=foxnewsaf%3A%2F%2F&amp;af_web_dp=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.foxnews.com%2Fapps-products" rel="noopener" target="_blank"><strong>CLICK HERE TO DOWNLOAD THE FOX NEWS APP</strong></a></p><p>The commissioner also thanked responding officers for "running toward danger when everyone else runs away."</p><p>"Let me be clear: that happened today. Officers, many of whom are here with me, ran toward a man carrying an ignited suspicious device," Tisch said. "They put the safety of others and their sworn duty to protect and serve above their own personal safety, and I am grateful that there were no injuries associated with the incident today. Today, as always, I thank our police for their noble service."</p>