Two arrested after suspicious devices found outside Muslim New York Mayor's house

The devices were found as an anti-Zohran demonstration, led by influencer Jake Lang, and counterprotest were underway, police Commissioner Jessica Tisch told reporters.

Spokesman for Mr Mamdani, Joe Calvello, said the mayor and his wife, Rama Duwaji, were safe, while Mrs Tisch said there were no injuries.

"Thankfully, the Mayor and the First Lady are both safe, though the events are a stark reminder of the threats they both face regularly," Mr Calvello said in a statement.

The devices were described as jars wrapped in black tape, smaller than a football.

The two items also had nuts, bolts, screws, and a hobby fuse, Mrs Tisch said.

The Commissioner said it was unclear if the devices were functional because the police were unsure if there was "energetic material" in them.

The protest led Mr Lang, who is currently running for the US Senate seat in Florida vacated by Marco Rubio, was titled "Stop the Islamic Takeover of New York City, Stop New York City Public Muslim Prayer".

It drew 20 participants, Mrs Tisch said, while the counterprotest, "Run the Nazis out of New York City, Stand Against Hate", drew 125 demonstrators at its peak.

The two protesters were separated by police at 11am, but tensions began to escalate shortly before noon.

Shortly after 12.30pm, an 18-year-old counter-protester threw an ignited device towards the protesters.

The counter-protester then retrieved a second device from a 19-year-old accomplice, lit the device, then dropped it further down the street.

Both men were arrested, but NYPD has not yet levelled charges.

At 12.15pm, one protester in Mr Lang's camp fired pepper spray towards a counter-protester and was arrested.

In total, six people have been arrested during the protests, two men responsible for the devices, the person who used pepper spray, and a further three related to disorderly conduct and obstructing traffic.

The FBI's joint terrorism task force has joined the investigation, sources familiar with the investigation told NBC.

There is no indication yet that the attack had anything to do with "ongoing hostilities" in Iran, but the investigation is still ongoing.

Mr Mamdani is the first Muslim mayor of New York, and polling from Siena College in January revealed him to be the most favourable Democrat in the traditionally left-leaning state.

Mr Calvello, his spokesman, said the protest was "despicable and Islamophobic", and added the NYPD is actively investigating the protest.

Mr Lang made was pardoned by Donald Trump for his participation in January 6 and currently faces misdemeanor charges in DC Superior Court for making threatening statements to a police officer.