A RING of steel is being thrown around Madison Square Garden tonight as Donald Trump heads to the NBA Finals just one day after a bloody stabbing rampage at Penn Station.
Fans going to Game 3 are being warned to arrive early as the Secret Service and NYPD lock down streets, screen crowds, and shut down the planned watch party outside the arena.
Trump is expected to attend the 8:30 pm showdown between the New York Knicks and San Antonio Spurs before departing for Washington, DC, afterward.
Everyone entering the secure zone will be screened.
Fans are also being told to expect TSA-style checks before getting into Madison Square Garden.
The packed transit hub sits directly beneath Madison Square Garden, making the area one of the most complicated security zones in the country.
The security clampdown comes after six people were stabbed inside Penn Station on Sunday night in a random rampage that sent commuters running for safety.
A suspect, identified by law enforcement sources as 51-year-old Hector Deleon, was arrested by Amtrak police after the attack.
One victim suffered serious injuries, while others were left with moderate and minor wounds.
All six are expected to survive.
The violence added to security fears around the Garden, where thousands of fans are expected for one of New York’s biggest sporting nights in decades.
It also comes after chaotic scenes at recent Knicks watch zones, where crowds surged outside MSG during the team’s Finals run.
More than 20 people were arrested after the Game 2 watch party outside the arena, according to reports.
Officials have now scrapped the planned Game 3 watch party outside Madison Square Garden because of Trump’s attendance and the added security demands.
“New Yorkers are used to presidents coming to town, and they understand that generally means lockdowns,” said NYPD Commissioner Jessica Tisch.
“The message is simple. Celebrate the Knicks, but avoid the MSG area tonight if you do not have tickets for the game or some other valid reason to be there.”
A perimeter around MSG will be set starting at 4pm before the game.
It will run from West 30th Street to West 35th Street between Sixth Avenue and Eighth Avenue.
Only ticket holders, commuters with train tickets, members of the media, or those visiting a business will be permitted inside the secure zone.
There is a strict no bag policy for the perimeter and the arena.
Local bars will be open within the perimeter but are subject to capacity limits and patrons must be screened to access them.
Game 4 will return to normal, with the typical watch party outside of MSG being hosted on Wednesday.
Those hoping to watch with their fellow New Yorkers can attend the watch party down the road at Bryant Park.
The NYPD and Secret Service are deploying a multi-layered plan involving pedestrian closures, vehicle restrictions, barriers, fencing, crowd-control infrastructure, and counterterrorism teams.
The Secret Service said physical security upgrades were being installed around Madison Square Garden, including anti-scaling fencing, vehicle mitigation barriers, and crowd-control equipment.
The NYPD is also moving resources across Midtown to handle crowd flow, transit access, traffic closures, and emergency response.
Officials are urging anyone without a ticket or a clear reason to be near the Garden to stay away from the area.
Commuters using Penn Station and Moynihan Train Hall are being told to allow extra time and use designated entrances.
The Game 3 lockdown comes as New York’s police force is already bracing for a historic summer of security demands.
The NYPD is preparing for the FIFA World Cup, America’s 250th birthday celebrations, the Puerto Rican Day Parade, Pride, and the Knicks’ championship run at the same time.
Tisch has warned that New York City is facing an unusually intense threat environment as massive crowds gather across the five boroughs.
“New York City is not only a global hub, it is a global target,” she told City Council members during a recent budget hearing.
The department expects to spend around $92 million in overtime in the coming months.
That includes up to $42 million in overtime projected for just one week in July.
The NYPD is also planning 12-hour workdays for most officers during the week of July 1 to July 7.
“The extraordinary and the everyday have to be handled at the same time, and this department is preparing to do both,” Tisch said.
The department has also spent $6.5 million on equipment designed to detect and stop suspicious drones.
Source : https://www.the-sun.com/sport/16470306/security-nba-finals-donald-trump-game-3