A man from New York City stepped in front of a crowd tearing apart a midtown Manhattan street after the Knicks lost Game 3 of the NBA Finals to the San Antonio Spurs on Monday night. Balladoli Mieses, 32, placed himself between a group of people and a street sign they were trying to pull from the ground.
In a video that went viral, Mieses asked the crowd, "What are y'all doing? This is our city."
The crowd did not stop. According to a report from Yahoo Sports, people booed Mieses and began slapping him. He said he did not care. Mieses told CBS News that he acted on instinct to protect the place where he lives and where his daughters are growing up.
"New York City means a lot to me because this is where I was raised...this is where my daughters live," Mieses said.
The father of four said his parents raised him to do right and to never back down from speaking his mind. When asked about the courage it took to put himself in that position, Mieses said his parents always taught him to "do right," and to "never be scared of saying what you want to say."
The New York City Police Department said the crowd on Monday night was fighting, ripping out street signs, banging on cars, blocking traffic, and climbing on top of light poles and police vehicles. Officers took 21 people into custody that night. The crowd had gathered on a street adjacent to a watch party in Bryant Park.
Two days later, after the Knicks won Game 4 in dramatic fashion, another crowd became rowdy and disruptive. Police took 56 people into custody that night.
Game 5 is scheduled for Saturday. Mieses said he plans to celebrate with other fans and hopes things stay peaceful. But if they do not, his position is clear.
"I would do it again for my city," Mieses said.
