Madison Square Garden bans lawyer representing injured New York police officer
The revocation of tickets underscores ongoing tensions between the arena’s owner, James Dolan, and public servants regarding security practices and facial recognition technology.
Madison Square Garden has formally revoked tickets and banned attorney John Scola from its venues, including the Hulu Theater and other properties owned by James Dolan. The ban follows Scola’s filing of a lawsuit in February 2025 on behalf of New York Police Department officer John Przybyszewski, who is seeking damages for serious spinal injuries sustained while working a security detail at a boxing match.
The incident occurred during a lightweight boxing match at the venue, where Madison Square Garden hired off-duty officers through the city’s paid detail program to manage crowd control. The lawsuit alleges that while eight officers were requested, only two were present. Przybyszewski claims he was knocked to the ground and pinned beneath several people during a scuffle involving rapper Lil Tjay’s entourage after the artist allegedly spat on a security staffer. Diagnostic imaging reportedly revealed significant cervical and lumbar spine injuries, some described as permanent.
A letter dated April 30, reviewed by WIRED, formally notified Scola of the ban, stating: “Any tickets to MSG Venues... are hereby revoked.” This enforcement continues a long-standing practice by Dolan to exclude entire law firms from his venues if any attorney is involved in a legal dispute with the Garden. The exclusions are enforced via a sophisticated facial recognition system, despite the NYPD not sharing biometric data with the venue. Madison Square Garden has, however, added Przybyszewski’s photo to its facial recognition database.
The ban highlights broader fissures between New York City’s public servants and the arena regarding privacy and operational control. MSG security has functioned as an unsanctioned surveillance force in midtown Manhattan without formal NYPD permission, raising civil liberties concerns. New York Attorney General Letitia James stated her office is reviewing Madison Square Garden’s surveillance tactics, while NYC Mayor Zohran Mamdani has called the venue’s expansion of security beyond its walls “deeply troubling.”
Scola described the ban as “a little bit petty” but affirmed his commitment to representing his client until payment is made or a trial verdict is reached. Przybyszewski, a seven-year NYPD veteran, has expressed a desire to return to paid detail work at the Garden for additional income, despite the legal dispute. Madison Square Garden and a lawyer for Lil Tjay did not respond to requests for comment.
