New Yorkers celebrate Knicks championship with all-night party; NYPD reports 63 arrests
Gothamist • • sports
Key Points:
- Tens of thousands of Knicks fans celebrated the team's first national title since 1973 near Madison Square Garden, but the festivities turned chaotic with incidents of violence and property damage, according to the NYPD.
- Authorities arrested 63 people overnight on charges including assault on police, gun possession, and disorderly conduct; a 17-year-old was shot in the foot and four stabbing or slashing incidents were reported.
- Multiple large fights broke out, 10 police officers were injured, and several vehicles, including five World Cup shuttle buses, were damaged or set on fire, though no shuttle passengers were harmed.
- Despite the disturbances, celebrations continued citywide with fans chanting and partying into the early morning; Mayor Zohran Mamdani announced a ticker-tape parade on Thursday from Battery Park to City Hall to honor the Knicks.
- Knicks owner James Dolan expressed gratitude to fans in an ESPN interview, acknowledging the long wait for the championship and hoping for more success soon.
