Chaotic scenes erupted across Midtown Manhattan on Saturday night as thousands of basketball fans poured into the streets to celebrate the New York Knicks’ historic NBA Finals victory, resulting in a World Cup bus being set alight and a teenager suffering a gunshot wound.
Jubilant supporters spilled out of packed bars and outdoor venues, setting off fireworks and firing smoke grenades, chanting “Knicks in five!” to mark their team’s triumph in the fifth game of a possible seven. This win holds particular significance for the New York Knicks, who had not secured a title since 1973. This was only their third appearance in the finals, having previously lost in 1994 to the Houston Rockets and in 1999, before defeating the San Antonio Spurs on Saturday night.
Amidst the widespread revelry, a 17-year-old was shot in the foot in Times Square around 2 am, a New York police officer confirmed to Reuters. Three individuals have since been taken into custody as persons of interest in connection with the incident.
As celebrations continued into the early hours, hundreds of predominantly young people swarmed a convoy of approximately 15 shuttle buses in Times Square. These vehicles had been transporting football fans from the first World Cup game in the New York City area, a match between Brazil and Morocco which ended in a draw. Some climbed onto the roofs of the buses, entered them, and even sat in the driving seats. One yellow school bus, specifically hired by the city government to help transport football fans, was set ablaze, according to a Reuters video journalist who witnessed it in flames. It remains unclear if anyone was injured in this particular incident, though at least three other shuttle buses sustained significant damage from the crowds.
Further disorder saw a bicycle hauled onto the roof of another bus, with Brazilian football supporters joining Knicks fans atop a bus, waving their national flag. A man with a bleeding face was observed walking through the crowds, though Reuters could not immediately determine the cause of his injury.
“They are expressing their happiness, a little bit violently, but it is what it is,” said Youssef Sabbr, a 49-year-old Canadian of Moroccan descent, who had got off one of the World Cup game buses before it was surrounded by crowds.
“That’s what happens everywhere around the world when a team wins,” Sabbr said.
Police fenced off some streets and after holding back for about two hours, officers in riot gear moved in, chasing fans down the streets.
Some officers on horseback pushed crowds back, clearing streets around Madison Square Garden, the Knicks’ home court.
Carol Marino, a real estate agent from New York in her 50s was taking a breather on a sidewalk after watching the game in a bar.
“Oh my God. It’s like New Year’s Eve times twenty,” she said about the celebrations.
Elsewhere, jubilant fans played drums, hugged each other, and climbed scaffolding and traffic lights.
New York couple Dean and Christina Smiros said they have been Knicks fans all their lives and were happy to see their team win the first time in their lifetime.
“They have not won since before we were born,” Christina said.
