Gothamist
A non-profit newsroom, powered by WNYC.
Gothamist
Listen Live
News
NYPD arrests 56 as crowds of 'unruly fans' storm Midtown after Knicks win
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Jun 11, 2026
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
Never miss a story
Email address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .
Timothy O'Connell / Gothamist
By
Brittany Kriegstein
Published Jun 11, 2026
Share
FacebookTwitterRedditEmail
We rely on your support to make local news available to all
Make your contribution now and help Gothamist thrive in 2026. Donate today
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Police arrested 56 people and 10 officers sustained injuries as Midtown descended into mayhem Wednesday night after the Knicks’ nail-biting comeback win against the San Antonio Spurs.
More than 10,000 people gathered north of Madison Square Garden between Fifth and Eighth avenues, according to the NYPD. A statement from the department said that as the game progressed, the crowds became "increasingly destructive." Fans flocked to the area even though the Knicks earlier in the evening canceled a sanctioned watch party near the arena.
After crowds of "unruly fans" refused to commands to disperse at multiple locations, police began taking people into custody, the NYPD said. Most were released with criminal summonses. But police said some individuals faced charges including assault on a police officer, criminal possession of a knife, reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
According to police, some of the reckless behavior included shutting down streets, jumping on occupied vehicles, trying to flip over a taxi and climbing on top of scaffolding, light poles, traffic lights and buildings. Some people threw objects at officers and at other people in the crowd, broke into a tractor trailer and climbed atop NYPD vehicles, police said. Four cruisers wound up with shattered front and back windshields, according to the NYPD.
Elsewhere, fights broke out that resulted in injuries, according to the department. Police said 10 officers sustained injuries, including one who was struck in the head with a glass bottle.
The NYPD said the activity around the department "demonstrates exactly why the NYPD has increased our presence" around Madison Square Garden — an apparent reference to an ongoing spat between the city and Knicks owner James Dolan.
Dolan on Wednesday criticized the city’s decision to maintain extra security procedures around Madison Square Garden for Game 4. He said the extra security and an event limit of 999 people were the reasons he decided to cancel the watch party.
Mayor Zohran Mamdani and the NYPD pushed back, saying MSG had requested an event with fewer than 1,000 attendees in its own permit application.
Police said they ensured that local businesses were able to stay open amid the chaos, and said their primary responsibility for the night was making sure that everyone could celebrate safely.
It is not clear whether there will be a watch party outside Madison Square Garden for Game 5 on Saturday.
Tagged
knicks
madison square garden
midtown
nypd
Brittany Kriegstein
Brittany Kriegstein covers all breaking news around New York City, with a focus on crime and gun violence. Got a tip? Email Brittany at [email protected].
Read more
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
Gothamist is funded by sponsors and member donations
MORE news
Central Park birders, others remember 63-year-old woman killed in park
People who said they knew her described her as an artist and a familiar presence in the Ramble.
By
Charles Lane
Published Sep 28, 2026 at 7:04 p.m. ET
Dump truck driver hits and kills cyclist on 34th Street in Midtown, NYPD says
It's the latest in a string of hit-and-run deaths in the city in recent months.
By
Liam Quigley
News
Dump truck driver hits and kills cyclist on 34th Street in Midtown, NYPD says
It's the latest in a string of hit-and-run deaths in the city in recent months.
By
Liam Quigley
New ingredient mandated for Latin American kitchen, restaurant plates in NJ
By
Arya Sundaram
A Brooklyn jail cell filled with smoke. The emergency button failed, a lawyer said.
By
Samantha Max
Crews launch tunnel machines to dig first new Hudson River rail tunnels since 1910
By
Michael Sol Warren
Never miss a story
Catch up on the most important headlines with a roundup of essential NYC stories, delivered to your inbox daily.
Sign upEmail address
By submitting your information, you're agreeing to receive communications from New York Public Radio in accordance with our Terms .