Knicks to Keep Strict Security Measures at Madison Square Garden for NBA Finals Game 4, Even If Trump Doesn’t Show Up
Ryan Murphy/AP
Although President Donald Trump was not expected to attend Game 4 of the NBA Finals, the New York Knicks will keep some of the strict security measures that frustrated fans on Monday.
Trump’s presence at Game 3 necessitated an entirely new level of security that sports fans were unfamiliar with. The NYPD, for example, closed off a 12-block area around Madison Square Garden hours before the game began.
This area was also closed off to both vehicle and pedestrian traffic. Additionally, fans going to the game were subject to “TSA-style” security screenings and a strict no-bag policy.
The Knicks advised fans to arrive at Madison Square Garden two hours before the game. A highly anticipated watch party outside the venue was also canceled.
Perhaps unsurprisingly, fans were not happy about their in-game experience being so heavily inconvenienced by the president. Before and after the game, ESPN’s Stephen A. Smith repeatedly blasted Trump for deciding to go to the game knowing how it would impact local traffic. Trump responded by calling Smith “dumb as a rock” and an “arrogant fool.”
At the time of writing, Trump was not expected to be at Wednesday’s Game 4. Still, the NYPD announced that morning that the “secure zone” around Madison Square Garden would stay in place. The no-bag policy would also remain.
The NYPD also announced that a ticketed watch party would be held outside Madison Square Garden.
The retention of the strict security may have been a response to the chaos that occurred at the Bryant Park watch party on Monday night. Nearly two dozen people were arrested after violence erupted at the park, prompting Mayor Zohran Mamdani to urge fans to be more respectful at the MSG watch party.
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