Chaotic Celebrations Erupt in Manhattan After Knicks NBA Finals Win, Bus Set Alight

Chaotic scenes unfolded in Midtown Manhattan late Saturday as thousands of New York Knicks fans celebrated their team's historic victory in the NBA Finals. The Knicks secured their first title since 1973, marking their third appearance in the finals after previous losses in 1994 and 1999.

Fans poured out of venues, setting off fireworks and smoke grenades, and chanting "Knicks in five!" to commemorate their win in the fifth game of a possible seven. Amidst the celebrations, a 17-year-old was shot in the foot in Times Square around 2 AM. A New York police officer informed Reuters that three persons of interest were taken into custody in connection with the shooting.

During the night, crowds, largely comprising young people, swarmed a convoy of approximately 15 shuttle buses in Times Square. These buses had transported soccer fans from the first World Cup game in the New York City area, which was a draw between Brazil and Morocco. Some individuals climbed onto the roofs of the buses, entered them, and sat in the driving seats. One yellow school bus, hired by the city government for soccer fan transport, was set on fire, according to a Reuters video journalist. It was not immediately clear if anyone was injured in this incident. At least three additional shuttle buses sustained significant damage.

Police intervened after holding back for about two hours, with officers in riot gear moving in to chase fans and clear streets. Some officers on horseback assisted in pushing crowds back and clearing the areas around Madison Square Garden, the Knicks’ home court. Some individuals described the scale of the celebrations as akin to "New Year’s Eve times twenty."

According to Dawn Pakistan, supporters of the Brazilian soccer team were observed joining Knicks fans on a bus roof, waving their national flag, and a bicycle was also hauled onto the roof of another bus.