Madison Square Garden (MSG) said on 10 June 2026 that Mamdani had no role in arranging a recent public watch party for New York Knicks fans, countering the lawmaker’s public statements that credited him with making the gathering possible.
The arena operator added that the heavy street lockdown imposed around the venue during the event created what it described as a “police-state” atmosphere and discouraged attendance.
MSG maintained that all planning and costs for the watch party were handled internally in cooperation with the Knicks organization, and that no outside elected official was involved in securing permits or logistics.
The company did not specify what steps it would take following the dispute but emphasized that it wants future fan events to proceed without what it sees as unnecessary security restrictions.
Source: New York Post
