Influencer Kai Cenat Sparks Massive NYC Riot with PlayStation Giveaway

A giveaway by influencer Kai Cenat in New York City Friday turned violent as crowds surged and objects including construction materials were thrown around.

A Level 4 mobilization was called in response to the situation, meaning that all NYPD resources in the five boroughs were called to the area.

Cenat was later arrested along with others connected with the afternoon’s events.

Video shared online and broadcast from CBS News’ chopper showed a huge crowd in Manhattan’s Union Square Park mid-afternoon.

When a large crowd gathered, officials asked people to stay away from the area. The police department told The Messenger it was there for crowd control.

Fans of YouTubers Fanum and Kai were reportedly waiting for a PlayStation giveaway event when events took a turn for the worst.

In a broadcast on Twitch from inside a truck parked near the park on Friday afternoon, Cenat waved gift cards he’d announced for the giveaway, along with PS5s and gaming chairs.

“This **** looking like a movie,” he said. “They throwing tear gas out there.”

He told followers he would not be doing anything until it was safe to do so, before being seen heading out into the crowd with his team.

Fans could be seen running after him as he crossed from a side street into Union Square.

People could be seen running around, standing on vehicles and throwing objects including construction materials and hoardings.

There were unconfirmed reports of multiple injuries as fights broke out.

‘People were suffering out here’

Police reportedly used tear gas to try and disperse the crowd, while drivers were left trapped in their cars unable to leave the area.

At a press conference at 6pm, the NYPD said officers used drones to monitor the situation as it developed and to try and ensure further violence didn’t occur.

“After numerous warnings, and being hit with rocks, bottles and other debris, we started to make arrests to clear out the park,” NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey B. Maddrey told reporters.

“Individuals were also lighting fireworks and throwing them toward police and each other”

The influencer was removed from the scene for his safety, the NYPD said, and they were in communication with him about the incident.

Discussions are ongoing about whether Cenat would be charged and the total number of arrests is being tallied.

“I personally observed young people bleeding from their heads and faces,” Maddrey added. “I observed young people having panic attacks, anxiety attacks, asthma attacks. People were suffering out here.”

He said the NYPD had experienced events like this before, but never on this scale, and that this showed the power of social media.

Shoppers and subway riders see disruption

Subway service at the nearby 14th St-Union Square station was suspended as events unfolded, but was later restored.

The Union Square Whole Foods supermarket on the south side of the park was being evacuated via the rear service entrance, while NYPD closed surrounding streets and tried to extract a bus stuck in the crowd.