A major figure in the music world waded in to help organize a GoFundMe that raised more than $25,000 to help a New York City cab driver whose car was ruined by Knicks fans after the team’s NBA Finals win.
The Knicks secured their first title in 53 years with a 94-90 win on June 13, prompting fans to spill into the streets of the city’s five boroughs that night to celebrate. The occasion saw New Yorkers climbing on top of buses and cars, setting off fireworks and flares and chanting “Knicks in five!” to mark their team’s triumph in the fifth game of a possible seven.
Footage of the celebrations went viral on X, with one clip showing a group of fans jumping on top of a yellow taxi cab and even entering the vehicle. The driver, Noureddine Bitat, was standing outside the car, with a look of disbelief about the chaos surrounding him. The X user who posted the video wrote: “A cab driver was left speechless and can no longer make a living after Knicks fans destroyed his car.”
The clip not only received more than 6 million views, but also a response from French Montana, 41, who wrote: “Somebody find him for me so we can help him get back on his feet.”
Now, the “Unforgettable” singer, whose real name is Karim Kharbouch, has joined forces with his friend Zachery Dereniowski to launch a GoFundMe page to help Bitat. The duo also partnered with the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, a labor union that Bitat is a part of.
As of June 16, the campaign has surpassed its goal of $25,000, with more than $36,000 raised at the time of writing.
“Recently, during celebrations following a New York Knicks finals win, Noureddine’s life was turned upside down,” the description of the page, organized by Dereniowski and the New York Taxi Workers Alliance, reads. “His cab was vandalized, and he was reportedly assaulted and dragged from his vehicle by a crowd. In a matter of moments, the vehicle he was driving was severely damaged, leaving him facing an incredibly difficult situation.
“I know the vast majority of fans have celebrated with pride, passion, and respect. My goal in sharing this fundraiser is to ask for help getting Noureddine back on his feet and back to work. My friend, French Montana, sent me Noureddine Bitat's story and we partnered with Noureddine's union, the New York Taxi Workers Alliance to help restore his business and change his life!”
Photos on the GoFundMe page showed that the front windshield of Bitat’s cab is completely broken in.
The Independent has contacted Montana for comment.
Many wild scenes erupted Saturday night in Midtown Manhattan after the Knicks’ historic win. A more formal Knicks celebration will take place this week, with a ticker-tape parade scheduled for Thursday in Lower Manhattan.
“For more than 50 years, New Yorkers have waited for this moment,” New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani said in a statement after the Knicks’ win. “Through near misses, heartbreak and a hope that every year could be our year, this city never stopped believing in the Knicks. And this team fulfilled that hope with grit, resilience and heart — just like the five boroughs itself.”
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