New York City Councilwoman Vickie Paladino on Monday criticized Mayor Zohran Mamdani for his response to an explosive device incident near Gracie Mansion over the weekend, accusing him of refusing to label the suspects as terrorists while focusing instead on condemning a protest organizer as a white supremacist.
Two men were arrested after authorities reported that improvised explosive devices were thrown during clashes outside the mayor’s official residence during an anti-Islam protest Saturday night. The devices contained TATP, a highly volatile chemical often referred to as the “Mother of Satan” and frequently used in global terrorist attacks. Investigators confirmed the explosives failed to detonate, resulting in no injuries reported, though police emphasized their potential to cause serious harm or death.
Federal authorities, including the FBI’s Joint Terrorism Task Force, are assisting the NYPD in the investigation as officials examine whether suspects were influenced by ISIS propaganda. During a Monday morning interview, Paladino condemned Mamdani for his failure to characterize the suspects as terrorists, stating: “I am so furious right now. I am seething, as are most New Yorkers.” She accused the mayor of showing his “true colors” in a social media post responding to the incident, adding: “This guy, this Zohran, has surely, surely, absolutely showed his true colors in that despicable tweet.”
Paladino also criticized Mamdani for withholding information about the explosives used and failing to identify suspects as terrorists. She noted the individuals appeared connected to ISIS training, stating their parents had been naturalized citizens in the early 2000s. “They were ISIS trained,” she said. “The FBI raided three other homes… and they are finding more and more information.” Paladino added that the mayor’s delayed response was a disgrace: “You heard from him now, but what he had to say was all about white supremacy. No. This is about terrorism in our city, and you refuse to face it.”
