---
title: "From triumph to riots: how the Knicks' NBA victory turned into chaos on the streets of New York"
description: "The historic victory of the \"New York Knicks\" in the NBA Finals turned into chaos on the streets of Manhattan 🏀🔥. Thousands of fans staged mass riots, smashed buses with football fans, and clashed with the police. Authorities have detained the first suspects, and the investigation continues 🚓🚫."
date: 2026-06-14T11:38:00.000Z
lang: en
url: https://xab.info/en/posts/from-triumph-to-riots-how-the-knicks-nba-victory-turned-into-chaos-on-the-streets-of-new-york
tags: []
publisher: "XAB.info"
---

# From triumph to riots: how the Knicks' NBA victory turned into chaos on the streets of New York

![New York Knicks players celebrate NBA victory with trophy, but chaos unfolds on city streets](https://xab.info/media/2026/06/14/pobeda-niks-v-nba-obernulas-massovymi-besporiadkami-v-nyu-yorke/pobeda-niks-v-nba-obernulas-massovymi-besporiadkami-v-nyu-yorke-1.webp)

The historic moment that New Yorkers had been waiting for for over half a century turned into a nightmarish night for the city. The victory of the basketball club "New York Knicks" in the NBA Finals, which became their first championship title in 53 years, instantly escalated from a festive parade into large-scale riots. On the night of June 14, the streets of Manhattan became the arena for violent clashes between fans and the police.

### A triumph awaited since 1973

The trigger for the explosion of emotions was the crushing victory of the "Knicks" over the "San Antonio Spurs" in the fifth game of the final series. The New Yorkers secured a confident victory with a score of 4:1, winning their third title in history. For a city that had not seen its club at the top of the basketball Olympus since the distant 1973, this event was truly significant.

The significance of the moment was also recognized by US President Donald Trump. On his social network Truth Social, he congratulated the team, calling the playoff series "perhaps the most majestic in basketball history".

### The celebration turned into vandalism

While the decisive game was taking place in Texas, a huge crowd was already gathering near the legendary "Madison Square Garden" arena. As soon as the final whistle blew, jubilant fans flooded the roadway, completely blocking traffic in the center of the metropolis.

Joy quickly turned into aggression. People began launching fireworks and smoke bombs, smashing shop windows, and breaking the glass of parked cars. Part of the crowd climbed onto traffic lights and scaffolding, creating a safety hazard.

### Victims of someone else's celebration

The events unfolded particularly tragically for fans of the Morocco and Brazil national teams. Basketball fans attacked special shuttle buses transporting football lovers. This happened immediately after the conclusion of the 2026 World Cup match between these two teams, which was held nearby in East Rutherford (New Jersey).

The national football fans became targets for a rampage by an aggressive crowd celebrating the basketball victory.

### Operation to disperse the crowd

To stabilize the situation and disperse the crowd, law enforcement agencies had to deploy significant special forces. Mounted patrols were involved in the operation, as fans offered active resistance and began throwing bottles at officers.

According to the latest data, the police have already detained three people involved in the major riots. The investigation into incidents involving shootings and the arson of public transport is ongoing.