Fans scream 'we can't get out' as thousands trapped at station amid New York parade chaos

Fans scream 'we can't get out' as thousands trapped at station amid New York parade chaos Chaos has broken out as huge crowds celebrate the New York Knicks' NBA championship victory with a ticker-tape parade which has led to grid-lock and people stuck in the metro Thousands of fans have been trapped inside a metro station with people screaming to get out amid "absolute chaos" as people gather to celebrate a historic New York Knicks basketball victory. New York is throwing a ticker-tape parade for the team that brought home the NBA championship longed for by generations of fans. The Knicks’ victory, after a 53-year drought, has led to massive crowds coming out to celebrate and more than 1,000 people were left stranded inside Fulton St station which is close to the World Trade Center and Wall Street. Witnesses described the situation as "absolute chaos", with large numbers of Knicks fans packed into the concourse and struggling to move. Fans were heard screaming "we can't get out as panic descended. Any who managed to get to the surrounding streets were greeted with more crowds, creating gridlock throughout the area. People are lining the parade route, with some projections suggesting attendance could reach into the millions along the roughly one-mile stretch beginning near Battery Park. In preparation, the New York Police Department has launched what it describes as the largest planned deployment in its history, assigning more than 10,000 officers to the event, reported The Mirror US. It comes after violence on Saturday night after the victory by the Knicks over San Antonio Spurs 94-90 in Game 5 of the NBA Finals - which meant they won the series 4-1. Gunshots were heard and fans set fire to a school bus as they wrecked vehicles in Times Square. Security measures will cover streets, subway stations and airspace, with barriers, checkpoints, helicopters, explosive-detection dogs and anti-drone technology all set to be deployed. Some supporters even camped out overnight to secure prime viewing spots ahead of the parade, determined to get the best possible glimpse of their basketball heroes as the team buses make their way through the city. The NYPD announced that all designated viewing pens along the parade route had reached capacity, warning fans that anyone who left their allocated area would not be permitted to re-enter. Authorities also confirmed that no trains were stopping south of Canal Street in Manhattan. The parade will travel through Broadway’s famous Canyon of Heroes, the historic route traditionally used for New York City’s ticker-tape celebrations. Although the Knicks previously won NBA championships in 1970 and 1973, neither triumph was marked with a Canyon of Heroes parade, meaning this year’s event will be the first of its kind in the franchise's history. "From a playoff run that left New Yorkers breathless to a tip-in that will be talked about for decades, the Knicks have earned a hero's welcome," New York mayor Zohran Mamdani said in a news release. "We have dreamed of this moment for generations. This Thursday, our city will rise to the occasion." Knicks legends Walt “Clyde” Frazier, a key figure in the franchise’s 1970s championship teams, and Patrick Ewing are both expected to take part in the parade celebrations. Singer Alicia Keys, who famously collaborated with Jay-Z on the 2009 hit “Empire State of Mind,” has also been confirmed to perform during the event. "How could I not?" Keys said Wednesday in a social media post that featured her chatting with Knicks forward OG Anunoby.