Strangers Raise More Than $75,000 for Cab Driver After Reckless Knicks Fans Destroy His Car
A 59-year-old New York City cab driver stood helpless on the street as a mob climbed on his taxi, smashed the windshield, and tore out the meter. He had been yanked from the vehicle by his neck and punched before the crowd closed in. The footage reached 6 million people on X within days. By the time the story landed on a rapper’s phone, it had already set something in motion that no one inside that mob could have anticipated.
Knicks Win First Championship in 53 Years, and NYC Streets Erupt
On June 13, 2026, the New York Knicks claimed their first NBA championship since 1973, defeating the San Antonio Spurs in five games. The win ended a 53-year drought and sent fans spilling into the streets across all five boroughs. Thousands filled Midtown Manhattan, climbing buses, setting off fireworks, and chanting through the night. Most of the celebrations were chaotic but harmless. Some were not.
Noureddine Bitat Was Headed Home to Queens When the Crowd Closed In
Noureddine Bitat, a 59-year-old Algerian immigrant, had been driving his leased 2026 Toyota Sienna when he became caught in the post-game chaos near Madison Square Garden. At the corner of 36th Street and Seventh Avenue, a crowd surrounded the cab. According to The City Reporter, Bitat was yanked out by his neck and punched before bystanders watched the mob stomp the hood, shatter the windshield, and rip the meter from the cab entirely.
The Cab Was Stomped, Overturned Attempts Made, Meter Ripped Out
The damage to Bitat’s vehicle was extensive. The front windshield was completely destroyed, the hood and roof were stomped in, and the meter was torn out. According to The City Reporter, the crowd at one point attempted to overturn the vehicle entirely. Bitat later said he feared the cab would be set on fire. He told reporters through a translator that the experience left him thinking of quitting after just two years behind the wheel.
Video of Bitat Standing Beside His Wrecked Cab Hit 6 Million Views on X
A clip posted to X showed Bitat standing motionless beside his destroyed cab, surrounded by celebrating fans. The post read: “A cab driver was left speechless and can no longer make a living after Knicks fans destroyed his car.” Within days, the video had been viewed more than 6 million times. His glasses had been broken during the attack. His back remained sore. And among the millions who watched the clip was a Bronx-raised rapper who had grown up watching his own father drive a cab.
French Montana Posted Two Words That Launched a Rescue Campaign
Rapper French Montana, born Karim Kharbouch, saw the video and posted to X: “Somebody find him for me so we can help him get back on his feet.” The New York Taxi Workers Alliance, Bitat’s union, responded immediately and connected the two. Montana then forwarded the story to his friend Zachery Dereniowski, a Canadian content creator known for mental health advocacy. The three joined forces to launch a GoFundMe with a goal of $25,000.
A Florida Man Was Arrested. Two Suspects Remain at Large
The NYPD arrested 63 people in the aftermath of the championship celebrations, according to Yahoo Sports. Charges ranged from assault on a police officer to criminal mischief and weapons possession. In Bitat’s case specifically, a 21-year-old Florida man named Saul Vargas, of St. Cloud near Orlando, was charged with criminal mischief for allegedly damaging the cab. Two other suspects connected to the incident remained at large at the time of reporting.
Montana Told CBS He Wrote Bitat a Personal Check for $75,000
The fundraising campaign blew past its $25,000 target almost immediately. But French Montana went further. Appearing on CBS Mornings, the rapper revealed he had personally given Bitat $75,000 to cover at least six months of living expenses while the driver decides his next move, according to TMZ. Montana said the story hit close to home because his own father had driven a cab after immigrating to America, and he saw his father’s face in the footage.
The GoFundMe Surpassed $76,000 From More Than 2,000 Donors
The GoFundMe organized by Dereniowski and the New York Taxi Workers Alliance climbed past $76,000, raised by more than 2,000 individual donors. The union issued a public statement thanking supporters: “Our hearts are full, and we are overwhelmed by every word and gesture that says cabbies aren’t invisible or alone.” Bitat, still shaken and unsure whether he would ever drive again, said through a translator: “I am so overwhelmed by the care of people. I’m very thankful.”
A Knicks Championship Made History. A Cabbie’s Story Changed the Conversation
The New York Knicks ended a 53-year title drought, and the city celebrated. But the night also produced a mob assault on a 59-year-old immigrant whose only connection to the game was driving through the wrong block at the wrong hour. What followed, a rapper’s two-sentence post, a union’s quick response, and more than 2,000 strangers opening their wallets, gave Bitat financial breathing room and turned an act of senseless destruction into one of the most-watched redemption stories of the championship run.