Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has ripped into Donald Trump over his planned visit to the NBA Finals, insisting that he is ‘shutting down the fun’ for thousands of fans.
Trump will become the first sitting president in history to attend an NBA Finals contest when he touches down in Manhattan for Game 3 on Monday, where the Knicks – who currently hold a 2-0 lead in the series – will take on the visiting San Antonio Spurs.
Though Trump, who was invited by Knicks owner James Dolan, has described himself as a ‘big fan’ of the team, not everyone has rolled out the red carpet.
Initially, furious Knicks fans called for the President to cancel his plans, after it was announced that watch parties outside MSG will not be allowed on the day – as a result of the heightened security protocols that will be in place to accommodate his visit.
Now, Congresswoman Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has joined the outrage, suggesting that Trump should not attend in order to allow the watch parties to take place.
When asked whether Trump’s attendance on Monday would be a ‘vibe killer’ on her Instagram story, AOC replied: ‘It already has been! Now the city has to shut down all the watch parties outside of the arena, that have been the source of so much fun.
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez has ripped into Donald Trump over his visit to the NBA Finals
Donald Trump is set to attend Game 3 of the NBA Finals at Madison Square Garden on Monday
Thousands of fans attended outdoor watch parties for Games 1 and 2, but those scenes will not be replicated on Monday, officials have confirmed, in part due to Trump’s attendance
‘All of that is going to get shut down tomorrow because Trump wants to show up.’
As she continued, Ocasio-Cortez suggested that she has previously turned down event opportunities in order for fans to enjoy the full gameday experience.
She explained: ‘As a politician, I have gone to my fair amount of sports games – but there are just some things that you don’t want to go [to], either to jinx it or just in general.
‘Sometimes the accommodations that are required – [such as] the security for you to show up – are just not worth shutting down the fun for other people.
‘Sometimes you decide not to go to things so that other people can enjoy it,’ she said.
Ocasio-Cortez’s comments came just hours after it appeared that the NYPD and Madison Square Garden were at odds over the decision to cancel the watch parties.
Despite initial reports that the watch parties would be cancelled, on Sunday, an NYPD spokesperson told Front Office Sports that outdoor watch parties could go ahead.
But, before Knicks fans could rejoice in the update, another statement from the NYPD, released just hours later, backed down from that stance.
Ocasio-Cortez ripped into Trump on her Instagram story on Sunday afternoon
Thousands of NYPD personnel will also be on the ground outside Madison Square Garden
Security checkpoints will open at 6:30pm, a full two hours before the scheduled 8:30pm tipoff
In a statement, they confirmed: ‘There will be no watch party outside MSG. This decision was made in coordination with the Secret Service.
‘There will be watch parties at other locations. We are currently determining where they will be. We’ll get back to you when we have more to share.’
But, in yet another twist, a statement from Madison Square Garden insisted that Trump’s attendance had nothing to do with plans to shut down watch parties.
Their statement, as per Front Office Sports, read: ‘The permit for the Plaza33 Game 3 watch party was denied by the City’s permitting office in consultation with the NYPD.
‘However, the White House will confirm that this is not about the President. We understand NYPD Commissioner Tisch is planning additional street closures around Madison Square Garden.’
Following MSG’s defiant claim, the NYPD released another statement, which doubled down on their assertion that the new plans were put in place due to Trump’s visit.
Their statement said: ‘There will be no watch parties outside of Madison Square Garden for Game 3 only. This was done fully in coordination with the Secret Service because of the presidential visit.
‘We expect watch parties at Madison Square Garden to resume for Game 4’.
The Knicks are looking to win their first NBA championship since 1973
Hundreds of US Secret Service officers and agents will be deployed at the Garden on Monday, joined by thousands of NYPD personnel.
A hard closure is expected around the entirety of Madison Square Garden – one of the busiest corners of Midtown Manhattan – with entire city blocks effectively placed under lockdown for the duration of the event.
The Seventh and Eighth Avenue corridors surrounding the arena are expected to be shut down, cutting off key sections in one of the most congested parts of the city.
No vehicle access and no pedestrian travel will be permitted through the secured perimeter, a sweeping restriction that will affect not just fans but anyone trying to get around that part of Manhattan on a Monday evening.
Only ticketed fans will be allowed anywhere near the building, and even they will face screening more akin to airport security than a typical night at the Garden.
No bags will be permitted inside – not purses, not backpacks, not totes of any size.
Fans have been warned in no uncertain terms to leave everything at home or face being turned away at the checkpoint.
Security checkpoints are expected to open at 6:30pm, a full two hours before the scheduled 8:30pm tipoff. Officials are urging fans to arrive early to avoid being stuck in what could be some of the longest queues in MSG history.
