Bombs flew into a crowd of protestors outside of New York City Mayor Mamdani’s residence in Manhattan during an anti-Islam protest on May 7. Neither of the homemade bombs thrown by terror suspects, 18-year-old Emir Balat, nor handled by 19-year-old Ibrahim Kayumi, exploded, leaving the protestors, led by pardoned 6 January rioter Jake Lang, in a state of panic. Police arrested both teens and later discovered and neutralized a third bomb found in their car using a robot. Since his capture, Balat has allegedly proclaimed his allegiance to the Islamic State, more commonly known as ISIS, and called for the death of infidels or nonbelievers. Similarly, Kayumi is said to have stated that he had been inspired by ISIS propaganda and was affiliated with the terror group. Jessica Tisch, the New York City Police Commissioner, claims that Balat hoped that his attack would have been bigger than the Boston Marathon bombing of 2013, which killed 3 and injured hundreds. Tisch also connected the heightened anxiety across cities in the US with the current war in Iran. With Islamophobia already present in the US, demonstrated most overtly by prominent figures such as Floridian Congressman Randy Fine, who compared muslims to dogs in an X post on February 15, there are worries among civil rights advocates that this attempted bombing could inflame the already strained cultural tensions. Janae Stanley-Castillo, a junior, commented that the thwarted attack could serve as “just another reason to be against free expression of religion and civil rights” for white Christian nationalists. The incident raises significant security concerns for government officials, with Tisch acknowledging that they had gotten lucky, which she said was not a viable defense against terror. Victoria Olivares Gonzalez, a junior, worried that government reactions could lead to harmful effects on minorities, stating, “staying vigilant is going to be important, but not to the degree of racial profiling”. While discussion over what the effects of this failed bombing will be on public opinion and government policy continue, the incident points to a broader trend of political tension and violence that’s future will ultimately be decided by the Americans it threatens.