Kai Cenat, an influencer with millions of followers on various platforms, has been arrested and possibly charged with “inciting a riot” after hosting a huge giveaway in Union Square in New York City, which resulted in a chaotic situation, crowds overwhelmed, arrests and wounded police officers.
Cenat, during a live on Twitch, had promised to give away numerous prizes of a technological nature such as Play Station 5, microphones, keyboards or web cameras, creating great expectations. Thousands of people, responding to the call, flocked to the central park, creating an environment that quickly became uncontrollable.
This initiative, which at first was intended as a way to celebrate their community and an opportunity to reward their followers, was not received with the enthusiasm expected by the authorities. The growing crowd forced the police to activate a Level 4 emergency response due to the disorder, obstruction of traffic routes and alleged acts of violence.
Despite the chaos, Cenat continued to broadcast parts of the event and posted videos of the crowd. He later shared a photo on his Instagram story in which he expressed his affection to his followers and asked them to stay safe.
Police Chief Jeffrey Maddery described the scene with concern. The meeting not only provoked an emergency intervention, but also incidents of violence and vandalism. Construction tools and fireworks were used as weapons, further aggravating the scene and causing injuries to police and citizens. The meeting culminated with the expulsion of Cenat from the venue for security reasons and the declaration of the event as an illegal concentration, since the influencer had not obtained permission.
The incident, which is still being investigated, has left a trail of consequences. Several police officers were injured and several arrests were made. The police are still counting the final figures of arrests and injuries.
The influencer, for his part, now faces the possibility of being accused of inciting a riot and illegal assembly. New York Police Commissioner Edward Caban and the city’s legal team are reviewing possible charges.
