TEXAS - What was supposed to be a celebration of basketball in Manhattan turned into a riot in Bryant Park on Monday night, leading San Antonio officials to demand answers from New York City leaders after Texas fans were targeted in the chaos.
What they're saying:
The violence erupted after the San Antonio Spurs clawed their way back into the NBA Finals with a narrow 115-111 victory over the New York Knicks in Game 3. While the win put the Spurs on the board and cut the Knicks' series lead to 2-1, the real drama unfolded outside the arena.
State Sen. Roland Gutierrez, D-San Antonio, expressed outrage over the lack of security and the targeting of visiting fans.
"What's going on right now in New York is out of control," Gutierrez said. "So Mayor Mamdami, I would appreciate that you do anything in your power to get your police, to get your people in check."
The event had been extensively altered before tip-off. The city moved the watch party to Bryant Park due to the security lockdown surrounding Madison Square Garden, where President Donald Trump was attending the game along with several celebrities.
While the five-block perimeter around the Garden kept the arena safe, the area around the overflow watch party broke out into a riot once the final buzzer sounded.
San Antonio Spurs rally past New York Knicks in crucial Game 3 of 2026 NBA Finals
The San Antonio Spurs erased a seven-point halftime deficit behind Victor Wembanyama to defeat the New York Knicks in Game 3 of the NBA Finals and cut New York's series lead to 2-1.
Frustrated New York fans took out their anger on the streets. Video shows people climbing cars and, in one case, someone beating bystanders with a bus sign.
"It's one thing to be a fan, it's another thing to be a criminal," Gutierrez said. "And assaulting young men and young women who have Spurs shirts is unacceptable."
The New York Police Department made nearly two dozen arrests at Bryant Park. Offenses ranged from disorderly conduct to the assault of police officers and weapons possession. Officers in riot gear deployed pepper spray to disperse the crowd.
"These folks went up there to enjoy themselves, just like your folks come down here to enjoy themselves," Gutierrez said. "I get it. The violence has no place, no place in this country."
On the court, Victor Wembanyama dropped 32 points to secure the win for San Antonio. But as the series moves forward, the focus remains heavily on fan safety.
"We need to be more peaceful with each other," Gutierrez said. "These young men that are going around beating people up in New York, it needs to stop, so Mayor, do whatever you can to make it stop, please."
Game 4 is scheduled for Wednesday, June 10, at 7:30 p.m. With city leaders planning to bring watch parties back to the arena gates, Texas officials are warning New York to protect visiting fans.
The Source: Information from interviews conducted by FOX 7 Austin's Katie Pratt