Fights at Bryant Park watch party lead to multiple arrests as pepper spray deployed
NEW YORK - What started as a massive gathering at Bryant Park to watch the Knicks in Game 3 ended in complete chaos, resulting in property damage, multiple arrests, several injures and police deploying pepper spray on unruly crowds.
What we know:
Following the conclusion of the game, police say an estimated 7,000 fans took over the streets in and around Bryant Park.
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Video footage from the scene shows a group of young men targeting a bus stop pole, kicking and shaking it until the metal sign detached and flew off. A bystander attempted to intervene and calm the crowd, shouting, "It's our city!" which resulted in a physical altercation.
Fights continued to break out left and right among the massive crowd, with some individuals even wielding the detached metal bus sign as a weapon.
Arrests made
Dig deeper:
Officers arrived nearly five minutes into the escalating situation and attempted to control the crowd. The unrest intensified when fans began tossing bottles at the police. In response, an officer deployed pepper spray, and police made multiple arrests amid the thrown punches and kicks.
The chaos spilled further into the streets, halting traffic, with one man jumping onto the hood of a taxi as the driver attempted to navigate through the surrounding mob.
NEW YORK, NEW YORK - JUNE 8: NYPD officers detain a person as they move back New York Knicks fans outside of a watch party at Bryant Park for Game 3 of the NBA Finals between New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs on June 8, 2026 in New York City. The
The vandalism extended to law enforcement property as the crowds climbed on top of a police cruiser, leaving it dented and damaged all around.
Eventually, officers in riot gear were deployed, slowly pushing the crowds toward Fifth Avenue to disperse the gathering.
By the numbers:
Police confirmed on Tuesday that 21 people were taken into custody, eight were arrested and charged and 13 were released with criminal court summonses. Two people were charged with assault on a police officer, and one person was charged with attempted assault on a police officer.
Five members of the NYPD were also injured during the chaos, but further details have yet to be released.
Game 4
What's next:
With Game Four scheduled for Wednesday, questions are swirling about the future of the event.
The Source: Information from this article was sourced from the NYPD, video footage and reporting by FOX 5 NY.