At least 12 people were injured in New York City’s Union Square when Twitch streamer Kai Cenat promised free PS5s
YouTube streamer Kai Cenat has been taken into police custody in New York City after a PlayStation 5 giveaway he staged in Union Square descended into violence, a spokesperson for the New York Police Department confirmed to NBC News on Friday.
At least 12 people were injured and “numerous” arrests made after a riot broke out in the park, police told the outlet. Video of the chaos posted to social media shows thousands of people thronging the giveaway site. Some can be seen climbing on top of a subway entrance, while others throw fire extinguishers and police barricades at each other.
The giveaway, which Cenat announced in partnership with fellow streamer Fanum, was scheduled for 4pm. By 5pm, several NYPD officers were trying to disperse the unruly crowd, which numbered over 2,000 by their estimates.
The NYPD was completely swarmed by teenage hooligans who rioted over the Kai Cenat giveaway in Union Square. pic.twitter.com/nrNYfoYAo6
— Ian Miles Cheong (@stillgray) August 4, 2023
Transit delays and traffic disruptions were reported due to the chaos. One group reportedly let off firecrackers in the park, leading to false reports that a shooting had taken place, and cops were pelted with objects, forcing them to take cover behind their cars and pieces of plywood, according to Eyewitness News.