6 arrested as anti-Muslim protest outside Zohran Mamdani's residence sparks clashes

Far-right protestors have staged an anti-Muslim rally outside the New York City mayor's residence, sparking clashes and leading to the arrest of six people.

About 20 demonstrators linked to far-right activist Jake Lang gathered on Saturday near Gracie Mansion for an anti-Muslim protest while 120 counter-protesters assembled nearby.

New York Police Department Commissioner Jessica Tisch told reporters that tensions escalated when an anti-Muslim protester used pepper spray on the counter-protest.

Others were also arrested for disorderly conduct and blocking traffic, while two from the counter-protest were arrested.

Mamdani's spokesman, Joe Calvello, said the mayor and his wife are safe and condemned the protest, calling Lang a "vile White supremacist."

'White supremacist'

Lang was arrested previously for participating in the infamous January 6, 2021, Capitol riots. He was later pardoned by President Donald Trump.

He also organised other hateful and anti-Muslim protests before, including one in Michigan last November, where he attempted to burn a copy of the Quran.

Lang also echoed the great replacement conspiracy theory before, a debunked fringe belief that white people are being replaced in Western societies by non-whites.