On March 7, outside Gracie Mansion, the residence of Muslim socialist Mayor Zohran Mamdani, an attempted bombing rocked an anti-Islamification protest, exposing the utter failure of the NYPD and city officials to heed clear warnings of violence. What could have been a bloodbath was narrowly averted when two homemade explosive devices, packed with nuts, bolts, and screws, fizzled out. But make no mistake, this was no random act. Credible threats from anarchist groups were broadcast loud and clear beforehand, yet the powers that be did nothing but twiddle their thumbs.
Conservative activist/provocateur Jake Lang organized a rally to sound the alarm on the creeping Islamification of our streets – demanding an end to public Muslim prayers that disrupt daily life. Over 100 demonstrators gathered near East End Avenue and 88th Street, exercising their First Amendment rights. But the radical left’s unholy alliance struck back: Counterprotesters, intel sources pegged as weapon-toting anarchists with a hit list targeting Lang, unleashed hell. 18-year-old Emir Balat ignited and hurled an explosive packed with nuts, bolts, and screws, while shouting “Allahu Akbar.” He then snatched a second device from the 19-year-old accomplice Ibrahim Kayumi, lit it, and charged again before dropping it in panic. Thanks to miracles, both fizzled out. NYPD, finally springing into action, nabbed the pair, as Bilal can be heard once again shouting “Allahu Akbar” during his arrest. Four others were arrested, but thankfully, there were no injuries.
In one image from Saturday’s terrorist attack, the device is circled in red on the pavement, mere feet from dozens of police and onlookers – a reminder of how close we came to tragedy. This wasn’t some amateur prank; these were nail bombs designed to maim and kill.
But the real outrage – everyone knew this was coming. Hours before the protest, independent NYC journalist Viral News NYC blew the whistle on X, citing sources that anarchist groups were plotting to “target Jake Lang” and warning the situation could “turn extremely violent and dangerous.” They even revealed they were “carrying weapons” with a direct hit ordered on Lang’s head. This was actionable intelligence, posted publicly, by a well-known NYC account. Where was the NYPD Strategic Response Group? Where was the NYPD’s Counterterrorism Bureau?
Retired NYPD Lieutenant John D. Macari Jr., in a blistering X post, hit the nail on the head with the failure of NYPD leadership: The brass, led by Police Commissioner Jessica Tisch and Deputy Commissioner Rebecca Weiner – neither of whom ever wore the uniform – completely botched the operation. Instead of deploying the Strategic Response Group, plainclothes units, and counterterrorism teams from the onset, they sent in ill-equipped Community Affairs officers.
Macari, forced out over vaccine mandates, didn’t hold back: “The NYPD looked like unprepared amateurs.” He highlighted how the department’s hands are tied by a disastrous protest settlement agreement from the Eric Adams era, continued under Mamdani’s radical regime, which weakens their ability to handle volatile crowds. Protests are “soft targets,” Macari warned, attracting “provocateurs, anarchists, and others looking to create chaos.” And Saturday proved it – hesitation nearly cost lives.
It’s a familiar pattern of willful negligence born of woke ideology. As the NYPD loses thousands of experienced officers every year, they play patty-cake with domestic terrorists. Lang himself called it an “assassination attempt,” and given the shouts of “Allahu Akbar,” the Islamic terrorism cannot be ignored, especially amidst Mamdani’s own ties supporting “Globalize the Intifada.” Yet the media spins this as “Islamophobia” run wild.
Saturday’s events in New York exposed the ongoing, bigger issue: Open borders flooding our cities, defunded police crippled by progressive policies, and Muslim leaders like Mamdani who prioritize Islam over the security of New Yorkers. If known and publicized threats can be ignored outside the mayor’s mansion, no one is safe.
