Several Knicks fans were hauled off in cuffs Wednesday night during raucous celebrations at Madison Square Garden’s first outdoor watch party permitted by the city in weeks – following the hometown team’s thrilling NBA Finals Game 1 victory.

The celebratory sea of Knicks fanatics packed the streets surrounding the Garden, where they cheered the team’s 105-95 win against the San Antonio Spurs as hundreds of cops looked on — and a waving Mayor Zohran Mamdani was driven by in a black SUV, according to social media clips.

Eight people were taken into custody during the celebratory shindig, with five issued summonses for disorderly conduct and three formally arrested and charged. 

The three arrested all jumped on or blocked an ambulance that had its lights and sirens blaring near the sea of orange and blue, cops said. 

Video from the scene shows them decked out in Knicks gear and waving a team flag atop the ambulance as they reveled in the Game 1 win. 

Andre Eason, 26, of Plainfield, New Jersey, allegedly created a “hazardous condition” when he jumped on the roof of the emergency vehicle, police said. When officers cuffed him, he pulled away and flailed his arms – hitting a cop in the nose and causing him to fall to the ground, authorities said. 

He was charged with assault, resisting arrest, obstructing governmental administration and disorderly conduct, cops said. 

Jaylen Wimbush, 26, of the Bronx, allegedly jumped on top of the same ambulance, causing about $5,000 in damage, before wildly flailing around to resist arrest, police said. He was charged with criminal mischief, resisting arrest, disorderly conduct and obstruction of governmental administration, cops said.  

Alex Parada, 22, of Clifton, NJ, allegedly blocked the same ambulance – and then waved his arms around and twisted his body, preventing officers from handcuffing him, police said. He was charged with resisting arrest, obstructing governmental administration and disorderly conduct, police said.

The five who were slapped with summonses allegedly scampered up street poles, according to law enforcement sources. 

The crowd chanted “let them go, let them go” as the rabble-rousers were handcuffed, The Post observed.

The outdoor event had been scrapped for weeks after the city pulled permits over concerns of unruly fan antics.

Wednesday night’s return outside the Garden acted as a sort of behavior test for blue and orange diehards since the city is only issuing permits for the watch parties on a game-by-game basis.

The crowds — while rambunctious and loud — were largely peaceful. The Knicks faithful waved flags, chanted, jumped up and down, crowd surfed and sat atop each other’s shoulders behind barricades set up by the NYPD.

The city’s Street Activity Permit Office initially pulled the plug on the raucous watch parties ahead of Game 4 of the Eastern Conference Finals vs. the Cleveland Cavaliers, when the NYPD said out-of-control fans were causing too much chaos in Midtown.

But the outdoor celebration was revived after the mayor’s office and MSG discussed hosting the event again ahead of Wednesday’s game, officials said, though the NYPD did not take part in the discussions.

The city, however, will only be issuing permits on a game-by-game basis, a spokesperson said.

By Thursday afternoon, it had not yet been determined whether permits would be issued for a Game 2 watch party.

Fans attending Wednesday night’s watch party said the event was a great outlet for the Big Apple to channel their excitement over the Knicks’ reaching the Finals for the first time since 1999.

“I’m very happy right now that they brought back the watch parties. I feel like it’s a W for the Knicks fans. We should all be united,” said Christian Cabrera, a 25-year-old content creator.


“I know we get a little bit rowdy. We do get chaotic, but we’re just doing this because we love the Knicks. We want to see our team win. We want to see the city win, and we’re just here for it. Let’s go!”

Others cautioned against too much chaos.

“I think they should still keep the watch parties. It’s a way for us to celebrate our team, and it’s good for New York culture,” said Daniel Tejada, a 21-year-old from the Bronx. 

“It’s nice that we party outside on the street, but it’s not nice when you start climbing stuff, start destroying things. It’s not good. It’s not good, it doesn’t look good to us New Yorkers, and it’s just bad for the environment,” Tejada said.

Toni Palazzo, 55, was smoking a cigar and waiting for the train after work when cops told him to move to 34th Street.

“I was 29 years old, the last time they made it to the finals. Now I’m 55, so it’s been a long time. And I’m enjoying it, it’s a very likable team.
And I definitely think they’re going to win the championship,” Palazzo said.

“If they’re doing something wrong, they should get arrested, but I don’t think they should get arrested if they’re just having fun.”