Thousands of fans gathered at Bryant Park for a Knicks watch party, but what happened next forced the police to use pepper spray on the crowd

Bryant Park, which hosted a watch party for the Knicks game, reportedly turned into chaos following a violent brawl. Madison Square Garden hosted Game 3 of the NBA Finals, and it looks like there was also a watch party planned outside the arena. However, due to enhanced security measures taken for Donald Trump’s appearance, the watch party was canceled. Mamdani then scheduled another last-minute watch party for the fans at Bryant Park in Manhattan.

The watch party was expected to be peaceful, but according to the Daily Mail, chaos broke out. Social media contains several clips of the brawl involving multiple people, but it appears the footage shared by Freedom News TV captures most of the bizarre moments that took place in the crowd.

In that clip, two men can be seen surrounded by a crowd as they throw hands. The crowd can also be heard cheering on those involved in a fight, and others are joining the brawl. As a result, chaos seems to have multiplied to the point that the police had to step in and take strict measures to regain control over the situation. The NYPD officers appear to have reported to the scene and can be seen using pepper spray on the crowd to control them.

It was supposed to be a peaceful occasion

Following the cancellation of the previous watch party, it appears Mayor Zohran Mamdani sought to ensure that Game 3 reached the largest audience in New York City. Per the Daily Mail reporting, the mayor said in his statement, “From every borough and every neighborhood, this city has come together to cheer on the Knicks and share in a moment that belongs to all of us. That’s why we’re adding Bryant Park as an additional watch party location, so even more fans can be part of this incredible Knicks Finals run.”

It was expected to be peaceful, but in my opinion, a big event like this, with thousands checking in often, carries a risk of chaos. It appears that’s what sparked in Bryant Park as well. Those who think this massive brawl between fans might have been sparked by the Knicks’ loss to the Spurs. Well, that is said not to be the case, as it all happened mid-game.

Apart from the brawl, reports suggest that later in the night, some fans were also seen clambering over police cars. The real reason for the brawl and the identities of those involved, including arrests, haven’t come to light yet.