A New York City cab driver was yanked from his vehicle and injured during street celebrations after the Knicks’ NBA Finals Game 4 win over the San Antonio Spurs on June 10.
The driver suffered shock along with injuries to his arm, back and head, the New York Taxi Workers Alliance said in a statement posted to X. Someone stomped on the cab and shattered its hood, according to the union.
“Shame on anyone who turns these joyful moments into nightmares for fellow New Yorkers.”
The chaos erupted after the Knicks’ comeback victory, sealed by OG Anunoby’s tip-in shot. Crowds swarmed the area around Madison Square Garden, and police made dozens of arrests.
The NYPD said large groups engaged in reckless and dangerous conduct both during and after the game, according to ABC News.
Fans flooded streets, bars and bodegas across the city as the team moved within one win of its first championship since 1973, the New York Post reported. Celebrations spread from Herald Square to Central Park to Staten Island.
The NYTWA used the moment to remind the public that a working person sits inside every yellow cab. Drivers were chasing fares through the celebration, listening to the game on their radios and waiting in airport lots, the union said.
“The member behind the wheel was earning a living and trying to get other New Yorkers home safely,” according to the NYTWA.
Cabbies shoulder the cost of their vehicles through loans or leases and pay simply to clock in, the union said. They deserve protection on quiet days and during public celebrations alike.
