Twitch streamer Kai Cenat faces charges after NYC console giveaway riot at Union Square Park
There was a riot? That's right, it happened after a streamer held a giveaway event. News on television and social media did convey that "Twitch streamer Kai Cenat is facing charges following the NYC console giveaway riot at Union Square Park".
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| (Photo: FATIH AKTAS/ANADOLU AGENCY/GETTY) |
The prize distribution event held by famous influencer Kai Cenat in Union Square, New York City, Friday (08/04/2023), became chaotic. The police were finally forced to disperse the mob who had acted anarchistically.
Riot because of Scrambling for gifts from Cenat
Tens of thousands of people gathered in Union Square and surrounding streets to receive gifts from Cenat. Among the prizes given were Playstation 5, computers, and others.
Cenat, an influencer who is famous as a games streamer and YouTuber, announced the event on her Instagram account moments before the event. He has 6.5 million followers on Twitch and about 4 million YouTube subscribers. In 2022, the Streamy Awards named him "Streamer of the Year".
The announcement was welcomed by fans by flooding Union Square until there was a clash with police. The mob threw anything at the police, causing many officers to be injured.
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Video footage taken from helicopters shows the anarchistic actions of the masses. They pelted police with bottles and chairs, climbed the entrance of a subway station, stood in cars, and used fire extinguishers.
Jeffrey Maddrey, a New York City Police Department (NYPD) official, said his office had interrogated Cenat. Police left open the possibility of prosecuting him, including charges of inciting riots.
The number of people arrested was not immediately clear, but city buses provided by police were packed with people accused of rioting.
Many officers and fans of Cenat were injured, including Maddrey who was hit by a blunt object.
"People in the park started committing acts of violence against the police and the public. Our officers were attacked," he said, quoted by Reuters. He is not yet sure what triggered the riots at the event.