A total of 63 people were arrested this Sunday in New York during the celebrations for the Knicks’ victory in the NBAas confirmed to EFE by the city’s Police Department (NYPD, English).
During the game, large crowds of “unruly” fans began to form at various points north of the Madison Square Garden stadium, between Fifth and Ninth Avenues, reaching tens of thousands of people and becoming “increasingly destructive,” the police reported.
In total, last night and this morning the authorities have arrested 63 people, accused of crimes such as assault on a police officer, illegal possession of a weapon, damage to property, disorderly conduct, resistance to authority and obstruction of public administration.
Besides, There was a shooting at the intersection of 43rd Street and Broadway Avenue in which a 17-year-old minor was injured.
The victim was taken to a hospital by the NYPD after an ambulance was unable to access 43rd Street “because the crowd had completely taken over it.”
Authorities recovered the firearm used in the shooting and detained three people.
Furthermore, 10 police officers were injureds, including one who was punched in the face and another who was hit with a glass bottle.
The police also highlighted that during the celebrations there were four stabbings and? Five school buses transporting people from Manhattan to MetLife Stadium (in New Jersey) to watch the World Cup matches were “set on fire or vandalized with bats”while people jumped on them.
The windshields and windows of these vehicles were “destroyed,” as were “many private vehicles” and five police cars.
In addition, people were seen climbing light poles, traffic lights, structures and scaffolding and “large physical fights” occurred, while streets and avenues were “taken over by crowds who refused to disperse” and who blocked traffic for several hours.
The Knicks were proclaimed NBA champions this Saturday for the first time in 53 years, after beating the Spurs 94-90 at the Frost Bank Center in San Antonio and closing the Finals series 4-1.
The team unleashed a wave of celebrations in New York throughout the final series, which resulted in the arrest of dozens of people.
