A man has been taken into custody after allegedly setting fire to a cart containing fireworks and flammable liquid outside 26 Federal Plaza in Manhattan on Monday morning. The incident occurred around 8:30 a.m. in front of the building that houses the New York field office of U.S. Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE), immigration courts, and U.S. Citizenship and Immigration Services. Smoke poured from the area after the fireworks exploded inside a garbage can, according to sources cited by CBS News. The suspect, who has not been publicly identified, was seen on video dumping liquid and canisters before igniting them. Law enforcement officers tackled and arrested him at the scene.
The FBI's New York field office confirmed that an incendiary device was deployed outside the federal building and that the Joint Terrorism Task Force, which includes FBI and NYPD personnel, is investigating. Authorities reported the man had airsoft rifles, a helmet, and carbon dioxide cartridges in his possession. A sign on the cart read "ICE off our streets," sources told the New York Daily News. Three people sustained minor injuries, including two firefighters; only one was transported to a nearby hospital, the New York Fire Department said. New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani described the event as "deeply disturbing" and confirmed his administration is supporting the federal investigation. No motive has been released.
The presence of a sign linking the attack to opposition against ICE operations raises questions about whether the act was intended as political protest. This could influence how authorities assess the suspect's intent beyond criminal charges. The investigation's findings may affect public perception of security around federal immigration facilities in urban centres.
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