A historic Knicks comeback turned into chaos outside Madison Square Garden. Multiple videos showed fans flooding Midtown, destroying restaurants, and at least one fan even hitting police officers. New York pulled off the biggest comeback in the NBA Finals, and it quickly spilled into destruction in the streets. The NYPD had no other choice but to arrest fans.

“This is an exciting time for the Knicks and for fans across New York City. The NYPD wants New Yorkers to be able to enjoy these celebrations, but our primary responsibility is to ensure that everyone can do so safely. Once again, there were large crowds of people who engaged in incredibly reckless and dangerous behavior last night, both during and after the game. This demonstrates exactly why the NYPD has increased our presence in and around Madison Square Garden,” an NYPD spokesperson said.

Reports revealed that fifty-six people were taken into custody, and 15 were arrested. The rest, forty-one people, were given summonses and released. There were multiple charges ranging from “assault on a police officer, criminal possession of a weapon (knife), reckless endangerment, criminal mischief, disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, obstruction of governmental administration, and trademark counterfeiting.”

Police confirmed that around 10,000 fans flooded the area around the Garden between Fifth and Eighth Avenues. This was despite the Knicks cancelling the outdoor watch party near the Garden a few hours before the game. But the reaction from the crowd after the 107-106 win was called “destructive.” Because some of the supporters on the road started the unruly behavior of flipping over a taxi, setting off fireworks, getting into unwanted fist fights, and even breaking into a tractor-trailer.

While the NYPD did its best to control the situation, ten police officers were injured, and one apparently suffered a shot to the head with a glass bottle. So, from fighting with police officers to smashing a cab to bits, the immediate aftermath looked like a riot had broken out on the streets of New York. Subsequently, another video went viral where a group of alleged Knicks fans assaulted a Five Guys employee with chairs and completely vandalized the restaurant.

Victor Wembanyama was at the receiving end of the Knicks fans’ assault

Heckling the Spurs supporters is one thing. But after Game 3, some San Antonio fans outside of MSG were asked to remove their jerseys and were heavily booed, while some of them were left with a bloodied face. And the Knicks fans crossed the line after Game 4 win, when they pelted objects at Victor Wembanyama. Fans waited outside the Spurs’ hotel, located roughly five blocks from Madison Square Garden, and ESPN insider Shams Charania confirmed that multiple eggs were thrown in the Spurs star’s direction.

Even the die-hard Knicks supporter Stephen A. Smith called out this behavior. “It’s disgusting. And let me tell you something. The fools who did it, not only do I wish they knew who it was and they get arrested, I wish they get their a** kicked,” he said on First Take. “Because he is real brave to do something like that when you’re surrounded by a whole bunch of people, and nobody knows who you are.”

Recent reports suggest that no arrests had been made in connection with that incident as of Thursday. While the Knicks are one win away from the championship, the fans should remember that health and safety should be paramount.