The Los Angeles Clippers and New York Knicks were set to face each other in the Madison Square Garden for a regular season game. However, the most intense action of the night came from the sidelines as midway through the first quarter, an altercation between a spectator and security seemed to have escalated. The spectator was then identified as Charles Oakley, a former player for the Knicks in the 1980-90s.
In various pictures and videos captured by other fans and reported by Yahoo Sports, Oakley could be seen arguing with one of the security personnel of the Garden then shoving him, just before more security came to take Oakley away. Oakley would be arrested by the NYPD and escorted out of the arena. He was later charged with three counts of assault for hitting security guards and criminal trespassing. This means he would be released after being issued a desk appearance ticket.
According to a tweet by ESPN's Frank Isola, Oakley was said to be yelling at Knicks owner, James Dolan and asked to stop. When he continued even after being warned, he was asked to leave the arena which lead to the altercation and his arrest. Though, according to Oakley himself, this is not what happened during the game.
Oakley said, during an interview in a New York restaurant after his release, that he purchased the game tickets and was there to watch it with some friends. Security personnel suddenly approached Oakley and asked why he was there and asked him to leave and Oakley took offense to this. The fact that he was seated just a few feet away from Dolan may have something to do about it.
According to Oakley, Dolan would not agree to have a meeting with him and was avoiding his attempts for a sit down. So, when they realized Oakley was seated only a few feet away from Dolan, they asked him to leave. According to The Guardian, Oakley has a poor relationship with the Knicks organization because of his criticism of James Dolan but Oakley is reaching out and trying to be part of the Knicks organization.
