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Kai Cenat to face charges over giveaway mayhem in New York City, chief says

Police: Twitch celebrity accused of inciting a riot, unlawful assembly after 65 arrested, at least 6 injured

There was chaos around Kai Cenat, a celebrity Twitch live streamer and YouTuber, when he met with fans to give away Sony PlayStation 5 consoles and other electronics on Friday afternoon at New York City’s Union Square.

During a live stream, Cenat, 21, promised his fans to give away free headphones, microphones, keyboards, gift cards, and more gamer goodies at 4 p.m. because “New York really deserves it.”

Prosecutors have yet to charge him, but New York Police Department Chief Jeffrey Maddrey said on Friday night Cenat was facing charges of inciting a riot and unlawful assembly.

Thousands of his more than 6.5 million Twitch followers responded. At least six were injured, four were at the Beth Israel Medical Center and two were at the Lennox Hill Healthplex, according to the New York City Fire Department.

New York Police Department Chief Jeffrey Maddrey said fireworks injured one of the victims, but at first police officers thought there was a shooting.

“People were suffering out here,” Maddrey said. “It was a lot of people; it was uncontrolled. It took us a while to get it under control, and a lot of young people got hurt.”

New York Police escort a man who was arrested in Union Square, Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, in New York. Police in New York City are struggling to control a crowd of thousands of people who gathered in Manhattan's Union Square for an Internet personality's videogame console giveaway that got out of hand. (AP Photo/Bobby Calvan) (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Maddery said there were about 300 people at 1:30 p.m. He said the crowd grew to about 2,000 and he saw people bleeding, having panic attacks, and asthma attacks.

Lines of police officers in riot gear secured a perimeter around the already crowded Union Square, as more fans grew frustrated trying to get there. There were parents who responded to try to get their kids.

Social media photos and videos show fans using their phones to record police officers and some were pleading for police officers to let them through so they could get to Union Square for the event.

“This speaks to the power of social media and the dangers of social media,” Maddery said adding, “We can’t allow this to happen again in the future.”

Maddery said a few police officers were also injured, as they were met with a lot of resistance from the fans. Police officers arrested 65 people, including 30 minors, according to Maddery.

There was a fistfight. Some fans even decided to damage police cars, a food truck, and other property, police said.

Police officers arrest a man, Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, in New York's Union Square. Police in New York City struggled to control a crowd of thousands of people who gathered in Manhattan's Union Square for an Internet personality's videogame console giveaway that got out of hand. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

“Individuals at the park began to commit acts of violence against the police and the public,” Maddery said.

Some broke into a nearby construction site and used paint cans, and other items as weapons, police said. Students climbed on cars, buses, and the park’s statue.

“Our officers were attacked,” Maddrey said.

Cenat’s video stream of the event shows he greeted fans and walked through the crowd without engaging in violence or encouraging it.

Police officers set off a smoke bomb in order to disperse a crowd, Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, in New York's Union Square. Police in New York City struggled to control a crowd of thousands of people who gathered in Manhattan's Union Square for an Internet personality's videogame console giveaway that got out of hand. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)

Police officers eventually decided to remove Cenat from the event and detained him.

“We will discuss with our legal department about inciting a riot and other charges,” Maddrey said about the possibility of Cenat’s arrest.

The Associated Press reported police officers used tear gas at the park. Maddery said there were so many arrests they had to use a bus and some targeted the bus.

New York police officers escort a man after arresting him near Union Square, Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, in New York. Police in New York City are struggling to control a crowd of thousands of people who gathered in Manhattan's Union Square for an Internet personality's videogame console giveaway that got out of hand. (AP Photo/Bobby Calvan) (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Maddery said he saw many others who had suffered cuts and lacerations leave the area without getting medical attention.

“I was in the middle of the crowd; I was hit with multiple objects,” Maddery said later adding his leg was hurting.

Skylark Jones, 19, told The Associated Press that police officers “came with riot shields, charging at people.” Carina Treile, manager of Petite Optique, an eyeglass shop, told AP she felt scared when “people started running.”

In this photo taken from video, people jump and kick a car as a crowd runs through the street on Broadway near Union Square, Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, in New York. Police in New York City are struggling to control a crowd of thousands of people who gathered in Manhattan's Union Square for an Internet personality's videogame console giveaway that got out of hand. (AP Photo/Bobby Calvan) (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

It was unclear if the giveaway even happened.

“Everybody who’s out there, make sure you are all safe,” Cenat said during his livestream “We are not going to do nothing until it’s safe.”

Related social media

A person jumps on the top of a car as another punctures the tire near Union Square park, Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, in New York. Police in New York City are struggling to control a crowd of thousands of people who gathered in Manhattan's Union Square for an Internet personality's videogame console giveaway that got out of hand. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
People chant anti-NYPD slogans, Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, in New York's Union Square. Police in New York City struggled to control a crowd of thousands of people who gathered in Manhattan's Union Square for an Internet personality's videogame console giveaway that got out of hand. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
People climb a sculpture, Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, in New York's Union Square. Police in New York City struggled to control a crowd of thousands of people who gathered in Manhattan's Union Square for an Internet personality's videogame console giveaway that got out of hand. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
Police officers yell at people to move on the the sidewalk on Broadway as they try clear the crowd from the Union Square area, Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, in New York. Police in New York City are struggling to control a crowd of thousands of people who gathered in Manhattan's Union Square for an Internet personality's videogame console giveaway that got out of hand. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
The crowd eggs on a person holding a toy gun wearing a spider man mask, Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, in New York's Union Square. Police in New York City are struggling to control a crowd of thousands of people who gathered in Manhattan's Union Square for an Internet personality's videogame console giveaway that got out of hand. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
Police officers form a line in an attempt to move in on a crowd and clear out Union Square, Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, in New York. Police in New York City are struggling to control a crowd of thousands of people who gathered in Manhattan's Union Square for an Internet personality's videogame console giveaway that got out of hand. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
People chant anti-NYPD slogans, Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, in New York's Union Square. Police in New York City are struggling to control a crowd of thousands of people who gathered in Manhattan's Union Square for an Internet personality's videogame console giveaway that got out of hand. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
Police officers line up to enter and clear out Union Square, Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, in New York. Police in New York City struggled to control a crowd of thousands of people who gathered in Manhattan's Union Square for an Internet personality's videogame console giveaway that got out of hand. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
People disperse after the NYPD set off a smoke bomb, Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, in New York's Union Square. Police in New York City struggled to control a crowd of thousands of people who gathered in Manhattan's Union Square for an Internet personality's videogame console giveaway that got out of hand. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
New York Police wearing riot gear patrol around Union Square, Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, in New York. Police in New York City are struggling to control a crowd of thousands of people who gathered in Manhattan's Union Square for an Internet personality's videogame console giveaway that got out of hand. (AP Photo/Brooke Lansdale) (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)
People film police officers as they chant anti-NYPD slogans, Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, in New York's Times Square. Police in New York City struggled to control a crowd of thousands of people who gathered in Manhattan's Union Square for an Internet personality's videogame console giveaway that got out of hand. (AP Photo/Mary Altaffer) (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved)
New York Police put up barricades in Union Square, Friday, Aug. 4, 2023, in New York. Police in New York City are struggling to control a crowd of thousands of people who gathered in Manhattan's Union Square for an Internet personality's videogame console giveaway that got out of hand. (AP Photo/Brooke Lansdale) (Copyright 2023 The Associated Press. All rights reserved.)

Local 10 News partners ABC News, The Associated Press, and CNN contributed to this report.


About the Authors
Eden Checkol headshot

Eden Checkol co-anchors Local 10's 10 p.m. weeknight newscast on WSFL and also reports on WPLG newscasts. She’s a Minnesota native who is thrilled to leave the snow behind and call South Florida home.

Andrea Torres headshot

The Emmy Award-winning journalist joined the Local 10 News team in 2013. She wrote for the Miami Herald for more than 9 years and won a Green Eyeshade Award.

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