In a chaotic scene following the Knicks’ narrow defeat in Game 3 of the NBA Finals, a group of irate Knicks supporters swarmed a Spurs fan and shredded his Victor Wembanyama jersey. The incident unfolded on the streets as police detained nearly two dozen fans who clashed with authorities during a watch party at Bryant Park.
As the game commenced, police were already present at Bryant Park, aiming to manage the throngs of fans attending the Knicks viewing event. Officers arrested 21 individuals for various charges, including assaulting a police officer, weapons possession, and resisting arrest, among other offenses.
During the chaos, five NYPD officers sustained injuries.
Of those arrested, eight fans faced charges, while 13 were given criminal court summonses.
Footage from the event captures frenzied Knicks enthusiasts loudly ripping apart jerseys bearing the name of the towering 7-foot-4 Spurs star.
One video shared by well-known YouTuber Kanel Joseph on the Kick streaming platform shows a crowd aggressively pulling a jersey off the back of a Spurs supporter.
“Take it off! Take it off!” members of the crowd can be heard yelling as the jersey was torn into rags while onlookers cheered.
In another similar scene, a large group of men yanked a jersey from the back of a fan who was helpless to fight back against the horde.
Last night’s regularly scheduled watch party outside Madison Square Garden was canceled on the day of the game due to heightened security concerns after it was announced President Trump would be attending.
Tip off for Game 4 at the Garden is set for 8:30 Wednesday night in the Knicks’ first NBA Finals appearance since 1999.
