ENGLISH_SLUG knicks-win-manhattan-celebration-chaos-bus-fire
A World Cup shuttle bus was engulfed in flames and a 17-year-old was shot in the foot as raucous celebrations for the New York Knicks’ first NBA championship in over half a century descended into chaos in Midtown Manhattan late Saturday.
Thousands of basketball fans poured into the streets after the Knicks defeated the San Antonio Spurs to clinch their first title since 1973. The jubilation quickly turned volatile as crowds set off fireworks, fired smoke grenades, and chanted “Knicks in five!” while spilling out of packed bars and outdoor viewing venues.
Shuttle Buses Swarmed in Times Square
The situation escalated near Times Square around 2 a.m. when a convoy of approximately 15 yellow school buses, hired by the city to transport soccer fans from a World Cup match between Brazil and Morocco, was swarmed by hundreds of mostly young revelers. A Reuters video journalist witnessed one bus being set on fire, while at least three others were badly damaged.
Footage showed individuals climbing onto the roofs of the buses, entering the cabins, and sitting in the driver’s seats. In a surreal scene, supporters of the Brazilian national team joined Knicks fans on top of a bus, waving their country’s flag. A bicycle was also hauled onto the roof of another vehicle.
“They are expressing their happiness, a little bit violently, it is what it is,” said Youssef Sabbr, a 49-year-old Canadian of Moroccan descent who had disembarked from one of the buses before it was surrounded. “That’s what happens everywhere around the world when a team wins.”
Gunfire and Injuries Reported
Amid the pandemonium, a 17-year-old male was shot in the foot during the Times Square celebrations. A York police officer confirmed that three persons of interest were taken into custody. Separately, a man with a bleeding face was seen walking through the crowd, though the cause of his injury could not immediately be determined.
Riot Police Move In
After holding back for approximately two hours, officers in riot gear moved to disperse the crowds, fencing off streets and chasing fans down avenues. Mounted police units pushed revelers back from the area around Madison Square Garden, the Knicks’ home court, eventually clearing the thoroughfares.
For many lifelong fans, the night was a release of decades of frustration. The Knicks had not appeared in the finals since 1999 and had lost their two previous championship series in 1994 and 1999.
“Oh my God. It’s like New Year’s Eve times twenty,” said Carol Marino, a real estate agent in her 50s, pausing on a sidewalk after watching the game in a bar.
New York couple Dean and Christina Smiros echoed the historic weight of the moment. “They have not won since before we were born,” Christina said.
Elsewhere, jubilant fans played drums, embraced strangers, and scaled scaffolding and traffic lights, marking a night of both euphoria and unrest in the city that never sleeps.
