Mickey the Mouth
The Syndicate News Wire
- May 21, 2026
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The NYPD announced on Saturday that it’s denying permits for watch parties during Knicks playoff games outside Madison Square Garden because the events have gotten too big and rowdy, to the point they’re a public safety risk.
Police said that on Thursday evening a massive crowd of thousands of fans gathered in Midtown outside the “World’s Most Famous Arena” to watch the Knicks‘ Game 2 win against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals. But cops said, at the watch party, at W. 31st St. and Eighth Ave., boozed-up fans behaved badly, throwing bottles and other things and hurdling over police barriers meant to keep the event orderly.
“There have been huge crowds — there were an estimated 6,000 people outside Thursday night,” a police spokesperson said. “The crowds are very rough, with people jumping police barriers and throwing things into the crowd, including glass bottles. The crowds blocked vehicle traffic on 34th and 33rd Streets and 7th Avenue. Additionally, people climbed on top of subway entrances and there was drinking in the street.
“This is not about having enough of the unruly fans — this is about keeping people safe.”
Six arrests were made in connection with Thursday’s event, cops said.
A permit for the outside watch party was granted for Thursday’s game. There was no permit sought for a watch party for Saturday’s Game 3 outside the Garden, though one was sought for Monday, a police source said.
The NYPD said it will continue to review requests to support watch parties at alternate sites, like Summer Stage in Central Park, and made no issue with watch parties inside the Garden. According to Madison Square Garden, Saturday night’s indoor watch party is sold out.
However, City Councilmember Oswald Feliz (D-Bronx), chairperson of the Council’s Public Safety Committee, called for a reversal of the Police Department’s decision to shut down the watch parties, and planned to hold a press conference outside the Garden before the Knicks and Cavs tip-off in Cleveland for Game 3.
“Public safety is our top priority, but flatly canceling community viewing parties is not the answer,” Feliz said in a statement. “Instead of shutting these events down, we should explore ways to make them safer and more successful. New York City cannot be a city where fun and excitement go to die.”
Read the full recap...
Police said that on Thursday evening a massive crowd of thousands of fans gathered in Midtown outside the “World’s Most Famous Arena” to watch the Knicks‘ Game 2 win against the Cleveland Cavaliers in the NBA Eastern Conference Finals. But cops said, at the watch party, at W. 31st St. and Eighth Ave., boozed-up fans behaved badly, throwing bottles and other things and hurdling over police barriers meant to keep the event orderly.
“There have been huge crowds — there were an estimated 6,000 people outside Thursday night,” a police spokesperson said. “The crowds are very rough, with people jumping police barriers and throwing things into the crowd, including glass bottles. The crowds blocked vehicle traffic on 34th and 33rd Streets and 7th Avenue. Additionally, people climbed on top of subway entrances and there was drinking in the street.
“This is not about having enough of the unruly fans — this is about keeping people safe.”
Six arrests were made in connection with Thursday’s event, cops said.
A permit for the outside watch party was granted for Thursday’s game. There was no permit sought for a watch party for Saturday’s Game 3 outside the Garden, though one was sought for Monday, a police source said.
The NYPD said it will continue to review requests to support watch parties at alternate sites, like Summer Stage in Central Park, and made no issue with watch parties inside the Garden. According to Madison Square Garden, Saturday night’s indoor watch party is sold out.
However, City Councilmember Oswald Feliz (D-Bronx), chairperson of the Council’s Public Safety Committee, called for a reversal of the Police Department’s decision to shut down the watch parties, and planned to hold a press conference outside the Garden before the Knicks and Cavs tip-off in Cleveland for Game 3.
“Public safety is our top priority, but flatly canceling community viewing parties is not the answer,” Feliz said in a statement. “Instead of shutting these events down, we should explore ways to make them safer and more successful. New York City cannot be a city where fun and excitement go to die.”
Read the full recap...