Overview
- The NYPD announced on Saturday that it will no longer provide operational support for free outdoor watch parties outside Madison Square Garden after reports of escalating unruly behavior at recent gatherings.
- Police said about 6,000 people attended the Game 2 watch party and that six people were arrested following incidents of jumping barriers, throwing objects including glass bottles, blocking traffic, climbing on subway entrances, and public drinking.
- As a result of the decision, a planned outdoor watch party for Monday night’s Game 4 at MSG was canceled and the Knicks will not be able to host an unsanctioned street viewing there.
- The department said it will continue to review permit requests for managed alternative sites such as SummerStage in Central Park, which would require formal planning for crowd control, traffic and safety logistics.
- Organizers and fans have scheduled a news conference outside MSG to press the NYPD to reverse the decision and the move raises questions about access for fans who rely on free public viewings as an affordable way to follow the playoffs.