Knicks Threaten Democratic Socialist Candidate Over Misused Team Logo

The New York Knicks, fresh off their NBA championship, have sent a cease-and-desist letter to New York State Senate candidate Aber Kawas, demanding she stop using the team logo in her political campaign. Kawas, a Queens Democratic primary winner and member of the Democratic Socialists of America, had circulated stickers and social media posts that mimicked the Knicks logo, replacing the team name with her surname under the slogan, “I voted for Aber Kawas.”

The letter, sent by Madison Square Garden counsel Brian N. Warner, said neither the Knicks nor the NBA authorized the use of the team’s intellectual property. Warner wrote that the campaign’s branding could mislead the public into thinking the team supported it, and described the conduct as trademark infringement, brand dilution, false advertising and unfair competition.

The dispute comes amid deep political tension in New York. Knicks owner James Dolan, a billionaire and associate of Donald Trump, has clashed publicly this month with Mayor Zohran Mamdani’s administration after the city canceled fan watch parties outside MSG during the Finals on security grounds. That fight spilled into the team’s championship parade and a City Hall ceremony, where Dolan mocked Mamdani and said, “I don’t need your votes.”

Kawas is also facing criticism over resurfaced old videos in which she appeared to downplay the September 11 attacks, calling them “a terrorist attack that a few people did.” In the same clip, she said it was shameful to expect apologies for that attack while there were no apologies or reparations for genocide or slavery. She has also said federal holidays such as July 4 and Thanksgiving are not reasons to celebrate but represent the “silencing and destruction of our movements for capital.” The Knicks had previously sent Mamdani a similar warning after he used a fake Knicks logo in his mayoral campaign.