A man with an alleged history of anti-Immigration and Customs Enforcement activity set off an “incendiary device” and set a fire outside a Manhattan federal building that houses an immigration court on Monday, authorities said.
The suspect poured gasoline on the stairs by the entrance to 26 Federal Plaza and then ignited it, sparking a massive fire, according to the Department of Homeland Security.
FBI Assistant Director in Charge James Barnacle said the suspect used fireworks to set the blaze.
Suspect Tackled by Officer
The suspect — described by DHS as an “anti-ICE rioter” — was tackled by a Federal Protective Service police officer, DHS said.
That officer and a civilian suffered minor injuries and were treated and released, officials said.
The suspect was taken into custody, the FBI said, and the FBI New York Joint Terrorism Task Force is investigating.
‘Anti-Government Attack’
Barnacle described the incident as an “anti-government attack on a federal facility.” He said the suspect had an incendiary device, a pellet gun, and a sign reading “ICE Off Our Streets.” DHS said the suspect was armed with two pellet guns and a “manifesto.”
Mayor Responds
New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani called the incident “deeply disturbing.”
“I’m relieved no one was seriously injured and that a suspect is in custody,” he wrote on social media. “… Our administration will continue to ensure that every New Yorker is safe in their city — and hold accountable any who threaten that.”
The Bottom Line
A man set off an incendiary device outside a federal building in Manhattan that houses an immigration court. He poured gasoline on the stairs and ignited it, sparking a massive fire. A federal officer tackled him. Two people suffered minor injuries. The FBI is investigating it as an anti-government attack. The suspect is in custody.
