Multiple Knicks fans were arrested Wednesday night while celebrating their hometown team’s thrilling NBA Finals Game 1 victory at Madison Square Garden’s first outdoor watch party permitted by the city in weeks.
The celebratory sea of Knicks fanatics packed the streets surrounding the Garden, where they cheered the team’s 105-95 win against the San Antonio Spurs as hundreds of cops looked on — and a waving Mayor Zohran Mamdani was driven by in a black SUV, according to social media clips.
The outdoor event had been scrapped for weeks after the city pulled permits over concerns of unruly fan antics.
Wednesday night’s return outside the Garden acted as a sort of behavior test for blue and orange diehards since the city is only issuing permits for the watch parties on a game-by-game basis.
The crowds — while rambunctious and loud — were largely peaceful. The Knicks faithful waved flags, chanted, jumped up and down, crowd surfed and sat atop each other’s shoulders behind barricades set up by the NYPD.
A handful of rabble-rousers scampered up street poles and climbed atop vehicles and made up most of the arrests. At least four such fans were arrested, according to law enforcement sources.
The crowd chanted “let them go, let them go” as the few out-of-hand among them were handcuffed, The Post observed.
The NYPD was unable to confirm the exact number of arrests or charges early Thursday.
The city’s Street Activity Permit Office initially pulled the plug on the raucous watch parties ahead of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers, when the NYPD said out-of-control fans were causing too much chaos in Midtown.
But the outdoor celebration was revived after the mayor’s office and MSG discussed hosting the event again ahead of Wednesday’s game, officials said, though the NYPD did not take part in the discussions.
The city, however, will only be issuing permits on a game-by-game basis, a spokesperson said.
Fans attending Wednesday night’s watch party said the event was a great outlet for the Big Apple to channel their excitement over the Knicks’ reaching the Finals for the first time since 1999.
“I’m very happy right now that they brought back the watch parties. I feel like it’s a W for the Knicks fans. We should all be united,” said Christian Cabrera, a 25-year-old content creator.
“I know we get a little bit rowdy. We do get chaotic, but we’re just doing this because we love the Knicks. We want to see our team win. We want to see the city win, and we’re just here for it. Let’s go!”
Others cautioned against too much chaos.
“I think they should still keep the watch parties. It’s a way for us to celebrate our team, and it’s good for New York culture,” said Daniel Tejada, a 21-year-old from the Bronx.
“It’s nice that we party outside on the street, but it’s not nice when you start climbing stuff, start destroying things. It’s not good. It’s not good, it doesn’t look good to us New Yorkers, and it’s just bad for the environment,” Tejada said.
Toni Palazzo, 55, was smoking a cigar and waiting for the train after work when cops told him to move to 34th Street.
“I was 29 years old, the last time they made it to the finals. Now I’m 55, so it’s been a long time. And I’m enjoying it, it’s a very likable team. And I definitely think they’re going to win the championship,” Palazzo said.
“If they’re doing something wrong, they should get arrested, but I don’t think they should get arrested if they’re just having fun.”
[Notigroup Newsroom in collaboration with other media outlets, with information from the following sources]
