Cab Driver Whose Taxi Got Smashed By Frenzied Knicks Fans Gets A Big Surprise

A New York City taxi driver is grateful to the Moroccan rapper French Montana for his efforts to raise money after a violent mob destroyed his cab.

The incident, which happened after a Knicks game at Madison Square Garden on June 11, left cab driver Noureddine Bitat injured and traumatized. A frenzied mob of individuals hopped onto his taxi and dragged him out of it — and they completely destroyed the vehicle. Bitat said later he was “lucky to be alive.”

“The crowd came and they attacked him. They grabbed him out of the cab. They grabbed him by the neck. Someone punched him in his head,” a translator relayed the Algerian-born cabbie’s story.

“They shattered the windshield. They opened the front doors and even the trunks. They were yelling, ‘Knicks in five! Knicks in five!’” he went on. 

A viral video of the incident shows individuals jumping on the cab and smashing the windshield before trying to flip it over and set it ablaze. At least one person was reportedly arrested in connection with the attack on Bitat. The cab driver suffered back pain and scratches from the attack, plus is now too afraid to return to work, he says. 

His taxi was destroyed after a Knicks game, leaving Noureddine Bitat so traumatized that he said he is longer able to work as a driver.

French Montana heard the cab driver’s story and wanted to find him. Not only did he connect with Bitat, he harnessed the power of strangers to… pic.twitter.com/N44gyD3SrF

— CBS News (@CBSNews) June 18, 2026

The violence unfolded as thousands of Knicks fans celebrated in the streets after their home team recovered from a 29-point deficit to beat the San Antonio Spurs 107-106. The Knicks went on to win the 2026 NBA Championship on Saturday.

The National Taxi Workers Alliance started a GoFundMe for Bitat, The New York Post reported — and the fundraiser quickly gained momentum after it was promoted by French Montana. The rapper even presented the cabbie with his check when the fundraiser was complete.

“Everybody got together and they raised up $75,000,” the rapper said. “These are the people that make the world go around. They don’t bother nobody. They out there working, minding their business.”  

Bitat said he’s grateful for everyone who came to his aid. “[The support] made him feel like he has another family here even though his own family [is not here],” the translator explained.