More than 2 million people packed Lower Manhattan on Thursday to celebrate the New York Knicks’ first NBA championship in 53 years, transforming the city’s historic Canyon of Heroes into a sea of blue and orange.
The ticker-tape parade, which stretched from Bowling Green to City Hall, marked a rare moment of collective celebration for a franchise whose championship drought had lasted more than five decades. By day’s end, officials reported relatively few major incidents despite the size of the crowd.
The New York Police Department said 13 people were arrested during the festivities. Authorities also reported one stabbing near Centre and Chambers Streets around noon.
According to police, an argument escalated when a suspect broke a glass bottle and slashed a 20-year-old man in the neck. The victim’s condition was not immediately released. The suspect remained at large Thursday evening.
New York Knicks Championship Parade Draws 2 Million NBA Basketball Fans To New York City
NYPD Chief of Department Michael LiPetri estimated attendance at more than 2 million people. Officials did not disclose the methodology behind that figure, though they noted that aerial resources were not used in the estimate.
Police also issued a court summons to an 18-year-old who crossed a barricade before the parade. A widely circulated video showed the teenager telling officers he was attempting to reach school for an examination. Authorities said he became combative during the encounter but was released at the scene.
Another arrest involved a woman accused of scratching a police officer while attempting to move through a restricted area. Additional arrests stemmed from allegations including disorderly conduct and resisting arrest.
The city had prepared extensively for the celebration. Roughly one-third of the NYPD’s uniformed force was assigned to Lower Manhattan. Officials restricted traffic, closed portions of the transit system, and established security perimeters along the parade route.
The precautions followed a week of heightened activity tied to the NBA Finals. Police said nearly 200 arrests had occurred citywide during the championship series, including incidents involving fights, vandalism and assaults.
Still, the parade largely unfolded as a jubilant civic gathering. Fans lined Broadway for hours, cheering players and coaches who delivered the franchise’s first championship since 1973.
By late afternoon, subway service resumed, streets reopened, and the crowds gradually dispersed, bringing to a close one of the largest public celebrations New York City has seen in years.
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