New York Knicks fans have long waited for a championship moment. During the team’s recent parade in Manhattan, an incident involving a Knicks-themed trash can caught public attention. A woman, Angie Baez, was seen walking off with the colorful wastebasket, filmed by onlookers as she casually dumped its contents onto the street.
Ms. Baez, adorned in Knicks gear, took the can onto the subway with her, smiling all the while. This act led to her being fined $175 for littering and impeding sanitation operations, according to Vincent Gragnani, a spokesman for the New York City Department of Sanitation. Although she returned the can, the situation had further consequences.
A JPMorgan Chase spokeswoman confirmed that Ms. Baez was no longer with the company. Her departure from her role as executive director for community and industry engagement came amid a wave of media coverage and online backlash, which often highlighted her involvement in diversity programming.
In response to the viral theft, the sanitation department posted a welcoming photo of the returned trash can on social media, amassing over 25,000 likes. The department had installed several such orange-and-blue cans along the parade route, acknowledging the possibility of their swift disappearance due to high fan demand for Knicks merchandise.
Meaghan Chillianis, COO of OnlyNY, explained that the company was selling full-size and miniature versions of these cans at $168 and $58, respectively. The collaboration with the city’s sanitation department aimed to celebrate New York’s championship season and honor the efforts of sanitation workers. Chillianis emphasized that the project was not a reaction to the viral video but an initiative to recognize community pride.
The New York Police Department stated that they were not investigating the incident further.
Leave a Reply