Madison Square Garden Bans Officer's Attorney Using Facial Recognition After Boxing Brawl Lawsuit

Madison Square Garden's Legal Blacklist Claims Another Victim

When a New York City police officer was seriously injured during a chaotic ringside brawl at Madison Square Garden, he did what any reasonable person would do — he hired a lawyer and filed a lawsuit. What he likely did not anticipate was that his attorney would soon be barred from setting foot inside MSG and every other arena under the ownership of James Dolan.

John Scola, a well-regarded attorney with a long track record of representing New York City police officers, is now officially persona non grata at Madison Square Garden and its affiliated venues. A letter dated April 30, reviewed by WIRED, confirmed the ban in no uncertain terms: "Any tickets to MSG Venues are hereby revoked."

A Pattern of Banning Lawyers Who Dare to Sue

This is not a new strategy for Dolan or the organization he controls. For years, MSG has maintained an expanding legal blacklist, targeting not just individual attorneys but entire law firms if even one of their lawyers found themselves in litigation against the Garden. The mechanism enforcing this blacklist is no ordinary bouncer — it is a sophisticated facial recognition system capable of identifying and flagging banned individuals the moment they walk through the door.

While questions had lingered about whether this controversial practice was still actively growing, Scola's ban letter put those doubts to rest. The list is alive, well, and apparently still expanding.

The situation adds another uncomfortable layer to an already strained relationship between MSG and New York City's public institutions. As previously reported, MSG security personnel were found to be operating as an informal and unauthorized surveillance force stretching beyond the arena's physical boundaries into midtown Manhattan — a revelation that prompted New York City Mayor Zohran Mamdani to describe the practice as "deeply troubling" and call for a formal investigation.

What James Dolan Says About the Surveillance System

Dolan has publicly defended the facial recognition program as a necessary security tool. In one televised interview, he stated that the system was designed to flag genuinely dangerous individuals — citing terrorists as the type of threat he aims to intercept. However, the New York Police Department has confirmed it has not shared any facial recognition data or other intelligence with the Garden.

Ironically, the Garden's own database reportedly contains the photo of at least one NYPD officer. New York Attorney General Letitia James has publicly stated her office is closely reviewing MSG's surveillance practices. "New Yorkers should be able to go to a game or a concert without their rights being violated," she said in a statement.

The Incident That Started It All

A Boxing Night Gone Wrong

The chain of events leading to Scola's ban began in February 2025 during a lightweight boxing match held at MSG's then-named Hulu Theater. Anticipating a large and energetic crowd, Garden management determined that eight off-duty NYPD officers would be needed for crowd control under the city's paid detail program. According to court documents, only two officers actually showed up for the assignment. One of them was John Przybyszewski, a seven-year NYPD veteran.

Near ringside, a confrontation erupted. Footage from the event shows rapper Lil Tjay appearing to spit on a Garden security employee who was attempting to prevent him from moving closer to the ring. The situation escalated rapidly as Lil Tjay's bodyguards and entourage joined the melee. According to the lawsuit, Officer Przybyszewski was knocked to the ground and pinned beneath multiple individuals during the chaos.

Serious and Permanent Injuries

When Przybyszewski managed to get back on his feet, he was in serious pain and was transported to a hospital by ambulance. Medical imaging later revealed significant cervical and lumbar spinal injuries, some of which are described in the lawsuit as permanent.

Przybyszewski filed suit against both Lil Tjay and Madison Square Garden, arguing that the venue's deliberate decision to deploy far fewer officers than its own security assessment required placed him directly in harm's way. "Defendants made conscious operational decisions that placed Plaintiff directly in harm's way. Those decisions caused his injuries," the lawsuit states.

For legal representation, Przybyszewski turned to Scola, who filed the complaint in February of this year. Neither Madison Square Garden nor a representative for Lil Tjay responded to requests for comment.

The Irony of MSG's 'Thank You, NYPD' Event

In a twist that raised more than a few eyebrows, just five weeks after Scola filed his lawsuit against the Garden on behalf of the injured officer, MSG hosted a "Thank You, NYPD" celebration. The event featured performances by Cyndi Lauper and John Fogerty, with rapper Fat Joe and comedian Tracy Morgan — both familiar faces at Knicks games — also taking part.

What Comes Next

Despite his injuries, Przybyszewski reportedly hopes to return to paid detail work — potentially even at Madison Square Garden. He valued the relationships he built with colleagues there, and the additional income is meaningful for a Staten Island-based officer.

As for Scola, he says the ban is not keeping him up at night. A Philadelphia-area native, he had no plans to attend any New York Knicks games during the NBA Eastern Conference Finals anyway. His perspective on the situation is straightforward and pragmatic.

"It's a little bit petty," Scola said of the ban. "But I'm here to represent my client, and if representing my client means I can't go to Madison Square Garden until they pay us money or we win at trial — well then, so be it."