Particle.news
Download on the App Store

Knicks’ First NBA Title in 53 Years Triggers Citywide Celebrations and Local Disorder

City officials have scheduled a Thursday parade and keys-to-the-city ceremony, creating a concentrated public-safety challenge for authorities.

Overview

  • The New York Knicks won the NBA championship after a 53-year drought, and large crowds poured into Manhattan to celebrate on Saturday night.
  • Street parties and fireworks spread across Times Square, outside Madison Square Garden and neighborhood streets as fans gathered in thousands.
  • Videos and eyewitness accounts show episodes of vandalism, including school buses damaged and at least one school bus set on fire near Times Square.
  • The NYPD deployed hundreds of officers, including mounted units and riot-gear teams, made multiple arrests and temporarily closed access to the Port Authority Bus Terminal.
  • Authorities reported at least one serious injury when an adolescent was wounded by a gunshot, and officials warn the announced Thursday parade will require heightened crowd control and safety planning.