Scenes of chaos unfolded across Manhattan on Thursday morning as New York Knicks fans packed the streets ahead of the team’s NBA championship parade, with some supporters reportedly needing medical attention.
Thousands spent the night sleeping on sidewalks to secure prime viewing spots, while millions more poured into the city hoping to catch a glimpse of Jalen Brunson, Karl-Anthony Towns and their fellow title winners.
The huge crowds led to confusion and disorder as fans scrambled for any available space. Some described poor organization and mixed messages from police, while videos on social media showed frustrated supporters arguing and large groups left stranded with nowhere to go.
Photos shared online appeared to show EMTs treating a male fan in the street, and other attendees claimed people were “passing out” while waiting for the parade to get underway.
By 7:30 a.m., the NYPD said all viewing pens had reached capacity, with no space remaining just 90 minutes after opening. Even so, footage circulating online appeared to show fans rushing past a police barrier and sprinting toward the parade route.
Elsewhere, some supporters climbed onto trucks and scaled street poles in an effort to get a better view of the celebration.
Disaster also struck early when fans who had gathered by one of the entrances listed on Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s website were told it was a ‘misunderstanding’ and it would not be opened. ‘Open the f***king gate. The gate is supposed to open at six,’ one man was heard shouting.
Millions of Knicks fans are preparing to celebrate their NBA champions in Thursday’s parade
Crowds went back as far as the eye could see in downtown Manhattan ahead of the parade
Video footage showed some fans rushing through a police barrier before sprinting to the route
The NYPD announced by 7:30am that all viewing pens were full and they were now closed
The NYPD has deployed more than 10,000 police officers to control crowds and safety issues
Video showed groups of fans walking aimlessly as they tried to find anywhere to watch
Other footage showed fans arguing with police officers as tempers flared during the chaos
The Knicks’ dazzling playoff run, which ended with a 4-1 win over the dominant Victor Wembanyama and the San Antonio Spurs in the NBA Finals, has electrified the city in recent weeks.
Mamdani has predicted that Thursday’s celebration, due to start at 10am ET, might be ‘the largest parade in New York City history’ as fans celebrate the team’s first title since 1973.
‘There will be performances, there will be New Yorkers, there will be the team and there will be history,’ the mayor said Monday.
The event will start near Battery Park and travel up Broadway through the city’s ‘Canyon of Heroes’ before concluding at City Hall, where Mamdani plans to give the players the keys to the city.
Police plan to deploy 10,000 officers to secure the event, which follows jubilant but sometimes chaotic street celebrations that were marred by violence during the Knicks’ series with the Spurs.
‘We want people to enjoy this moment,’ police commissioner Jessica Tisch said at a planning meeting Wednesday, ‘but public safety comes first.’
An NYPD spokesperson said they will deploy helicopters, drones, heavy weapons teams, K-9s and explosive detection dogs, highway units, transit officers and a plainclothes operation.
More than 50 floats and other vehicles are expected to participate and some 650 sanitation workers have been assigned to clean up what could be tens of thousands of pounds of debris, if recent history is any guide.
Knicks legends Walt ‘Clyde’ Frazier – a member of the ´70s champion teams – and Patrick Ewing are expected to be in the parade. Mike Breen, the Knicks’ play-by-play announcer on MSG Network, was set to emcee the City Hall ceremony.
The Knicks secured their first NBA title since 1973 with a 4-1 win over the San Antonio Spurs
Subway stations were full of Knicks fans rushing to get a spot along the downtown route
Knicks fans slept rough overnight and got up early to secure their spot along the route
Alicia Keys, the singer who joined with Jay-Z on the indelible 2009 ‘Empire State of Mind,’ has been tapped to perform.
‘How could I not?’ Keys said Wednesday in a social media post that featured her chatting with Knicks forward OG Anunoby.
Thursday’s ticker-tape parade will be a first for the Knicks. When the team won the title before, in 1970 and 1973, they weren’t honored with New York’s signature procession.
The festivities on Thursday will be the 210th ticker-tape parade in New York, and it comes after a ticker-tape bash for the WNBA’s New York Liberty in 2024.
