A video has surfaced depicting a New York City police officer allegedly slamming a Knicks fan’s face into a pole during an arrest following Friday night’s victory celebration at Madison Square Garden.
The footage shows numerous officers, including a captain, working together to restrain the young suspect, as the crowd reacted with boos during the arrest after the Knicks secured a win in Game 2 of the NBA Finals.
In the video, the suspect, with his hands secured behind his back, did not seem to be resisting when an officer from the Community Affairs unit suddenly grabbed him by the neck and forcefully pushed his face against a green pole.
The fan visibly recoiled in pain, while an agitated crowd expressed their disapproval, as captured in the clip shared on Instagram by mrcheckpoint_.
“What the f–k! Yo, what the f–k!” shouted one of the onlookers, as several fans recorded the intense altercation on their phones.
It’s unclear what happened before or after the 17-second viral clip, which has racked up nearly 900,000 views.
The NYPD did not respond to a request for comment.
The apparent arrest came after a nail-biter Knicks win over the San Antonio Spurs, with chaos erupting as thousands of revelers flooded the streets outside the iconic arena. Some fans were detained for blocking traffic and climbing light poles.
One fan, Karley Reyes, allegedly punched a cop and bit another during the celebration.
A watch party for Monday’s Game 3 was nixed after strict security measures were announced for President Trump’s attendance.