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On August 4, 2023, at approximately 3:30 p.m. EDT, internet personality Kai Cenat held a purported giveaway of gaming-related items in Union Square, Manhattan, while not having a permit for the gathering. The event, which drew thousands of participants to Union Square Park, became a riot. Social media posts of the event surfaced around the same time. Cenat was taken into police custody by the New York City Police Department (NYPD) during the riot and was charged with inciting a riot and unlawful assembly. He appeared in court on August 16 and 18. His business partners at Any Means Possible apologized for the riot. Cenat would also apologize in a livestream on August 9. The incident led to discussion and debate about the influence of internet personalities.

Background

Main articles: Union Square, Manhattan and Kai Cenat
Union Square in 2010
Kai Cenat in 2021
Union Square in 2010 and Kai Cenat in 2021

Kai Cenat is an American livestreamer and YouTuber. He attended Frederick Douglass Academy and the State University of New York at Morrisville. At this time, Cenat traveled to Atlanta, Georgia to work with a group of Internet personalities called Any Means Possible (AMP), which he joined in 2020. The following year he gained popularity after producing a series of livestreams with Drake, 21 Savage, Toosii and Lil Baby. In February 2023, the United Talent Agency announced that they would represent Cenat during his subathon. At the end of the livestream, he had amassed 300,000 Twitch subscribers, a record for the platform.[1] As of August 2023, Cenat has a cumulative 11.1 million followers across YouTube and Twitch.[2]

Union Square, the location of the riot, was named after the intersection of Broadway and the city's 19th-century street grid. The Union Square station, where several New York City Subway routes converge, allowed large amounts of people to easily access the square.[3]

In the days preceding the gathering, Cenat announced that he would give away PlayStation 5 consoles at 4 p.m. in Union Square along 14th Street, where he would be joined by Fanum, Duke Dennis and Agent00, three Twitch streamers.[4] All four men are members of AMP.[5] In a livestream on August 2, Cenat claimed that he would give away gift cards, headphones, gaming chairs, computers, webcams, keyboards, and microphones to attendees who could correctly answer questions about YouTube and live streaming. He called this mission "get off the streets and go stream".[6] The video was viewed two million times.[7] Despite not having secured a permit for a gathering at Union Square, Cenat posted on Twitter that he would be live streaming the event at 3:30 p.m.[8][9][6] According to Jonah Bromwich of the New York Times, this is not Cenat's first giveaway: in July 2023, he surprised a Massachusetts woman whom he used to visit with, by giving her $20,000, saying she was "a second mother to him", and that she deserved it. The woman, Cathy Parker, was "reluctant to accept the money."[10]

Union Square riot

By 3 p.m., a large crowd had gathered in Union Square,[7] many of whom were drawn to the event by word of mouth from sources outside of Cenat's fans.[11] The New York City Police Department (NYPD) became aware of the gathering at the same time,[12] as dozens of people began converging.[13] By 3:30 p.m. the NYPD had mobilized dozens of officers to the area and established a perimeter; the crowd took down barriers and conflict broke out between police and members of the mob. Members of the crowd climbed upon a gazebo, street signs, vehicles including a bus, and a George Washington statue,[14] with some throwing bottles at officers and other objects at car windows.[15] Social media posts of the riot surfaced at the same time.[16] According to the NYPD, individuals walked around with shovels and axes taken from a nearby construction site, while others lit fireworks.[6] A CBS New York helicopter recorded a man emptying a fire extinguisher on a crowd of people.[17]

Entrance to the 14th Street–Union Square subway station
Subway trains had to bypass the 14th Street–Union Square station (entrance pictured) due to NYPD activity.[18]

The NYPD called on an estimated one thousand officers to respond as part of a level four mobilization at an unknown point in time,[19] which is according to a spokesperson, the highest level of mobilization of the police department. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority had subway trains bypass the 14th Street–Union Square station. A nearby Best Buy, an eyeglass shop, and the Union Square Greenmarket were forced to close early.[5][15] At least two thousand people came to the event,[20] though the NYPD estimated that three to five thousand people were present.[18] Cenat appeared in a black SUV[21] on a livestream with gift cards worth US$100[12] and claimed that police were throwing tear gas.[22][a] Seconds later, he exited the SUV and was swarmed by fans.[24] The NYPD pushed the crowd north;[5] By 5:30 p.m. the number of participants had begun to decrease with the police eventually blocking the entrances to Union Square.[7][15] In an Instagram livestream from a police car, Cenat told the crowd to go home.[16]

At least nine people were injured according to the NYPD. Four people were taken to Mount Sinai Beth Israel, while two others were taken to Lenox Hill Hospital.[25] Three officers were injured,[7] and NYPD chief Jeffrey Maddrey was among officers who had objects thrown at them.[26] A witness reported not being able to breathe.[27] Maddrey also reported that a 17-year-old was wounded by a large firecracker.[25] At approximately 5:00 p.m., Cenat was released on his own accord after being charged with inciting a riot and unlawful assembly.[b] Police filled an MTA bus with prisoners;[24] at least 65 people at the event were arrested, including 30 juveniles.[25][30] The bus was attacked by other people attempting to free those on board. In a press conference, chief Maddrey claimed that multiple police cars and food carts had been destroyed.[31]

Aftermath

The incident polarized Internet users and became an Internet meme. Rapper Offset criticized the police for arresting Cenat.[32] Cenat appeared in court on August 16, following his release from police custody on August 5.[33] He appeared in court again on August 18.[34][35]

At a press conference, Maddrey stated, "When I go back later on this evening, I will have an after-action determine exactly what our steps were. We can't allow this to happen again in the future".[19] New York City mayor Eric Adams praised police for their "quick work" in dispersing the crowd.[31] In a statement on August 5, Cenat's streaming group AMP apologized for the riot.[36]

In his first public appearance after the riot, Cenat held up a New York Daily News issue and apologized in a livestream on August 9,[37] while announcing that he would take a break from livestreaming.[38] He said that he was "beyond disappointed in anybody who became destructive that day."[24]

After a video spread on social media depicting two police officers smashing a man in a red sweatshirt's head into a taxi window, the Civilian Complaint Review Board began an investigation looking into the incident and others from the day.[28]

On August 25, Night, a talent management firm based in Austin, Texas, announced the acquisition of LFM Management, another talent management company based in New York, placing Night as talent management for Cenat and other AMP members.[39]

Analysis

The incident generated discourse about the outsized influence of internet personalities. Following the event, Mayor Adams stated in a press briefing that "children cannot be raised by social media,"[34] while researcher Megan Moreno stated in an NPR interview that the incident "does speak to how much investment people can place within these parasocial relationships".[40]

In a Wired article comparing the event to similar internet-based incidents, University of Sydney lecturer Mark Johnson opined on the role of social media (such as the interactivity of Twitch) on the relationships between streamers and their fans. Johnson described the occurrence as an example of "emergent behavior", where internet users transition from interacting online to entering the real world.[41] The article also claimed that Cenat was "the first Twitch streamer to be charged with inciting a riot".[41]

Notes

  1. ^ The NYPD does not use tear gas, but does use pepper spray.[23]
  2. ^ Sources conflict on if Cenat was arrested on the spot.[28][25][29]

References

  1. ^ Bellware, Kim (August 5, 2023). "Kai Cenat built a streaming career on Twitch before NYC riot charges". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on August 5, 2023. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  2. ^ Olaniran, Christian (August 4, 2023). "Who is Kai Cenat?". CBS News. Archived from the original on August 5, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  3. ^ Brookhiser, Richard (August 24, 2023). "Under the Influence". National Review. Archived from the original on December 11, 2023. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  4. ^ Alter, Rebecca (August 4, 2023). "Twitch Streamer Kai Cenat Sparks Union Square Chaos Over Free PS5's". Vulture. Archived from the original on August 6, 2023. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  5. ^ a b c Shanahan, Ed; Parnell, Wesley (August 4, 2023). "YouTubers' PlayStation Giveaway Causes Chaos in Union Square Park". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 4, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  6. ^ a b c Sottile, Zoe; Morales, Mark (August 4, 2023). "Twitch streamer in custody after giveaway draws huge crowds to Union Square in New York City". CNN. Archived from the original on August 4, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  7. ^ a b c d Stelloh, Tim; Rosenblatt, Kalhan (August 4, 2023). "Twitch streamer Kai Cenat in custody after NYC console giveaway causes chaos at Union Square Park". NBC News. Archived from the original on August 4, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  8. ^ Mayorquin, Orlando; Medina, Eduardo (August 5, 2023). "What We Know About the Chaos Caused by a Twitch Star's Giveaway". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 6, 2023. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  9. ^ Chalk, Andy (August 4, 2023). "New York City's Times Square overrun with fans, chaos ensues as 'King of Twitch' Kai Cenat announces impromptu giveaway". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on August 5, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  10. ^ Bromwich, Jonah E. (August 9, 2023). "Union Square Melee Shows an Influencer's Power Unleashed in Real Life". The New York Times. Archived from the original on December 12, 2023. Retrieved December 12, 2023.
  11. ^ Spangler, Todd (August 4, 2023). "Twitch Streamer Giveaway Causes Dangerous Mob Scene in New York's Union Square, Cops Say". Variety. Archived from the original on August 6, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  12. ^ a b Peters, Jay (August 4, 2023). "Twitch streamer Kai Cenat taken into custody after chaotic giveaway in NYC's Union Square". The Verge. Archived from the original on August 4, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  13. ^ Hilsman, Patrick (August 4, 2023). "In NYC, online gamer's Playstation giveaway event devolves into chaos". United Press International. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  14. ^ Robledo, Anthony (August 4, 2023). "YouTuber Kai Cenat Playstation giveaway draws out-of-control crowd to Union Square Park". USA Today. Archived from the original on August 6, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  15. ^ a b c Caina Calvan, Bobby (August 4, 2023). "Thousands overwhelm New York's Union Square for streamer giveaway, tossing chairs and pounding cars". Associated Press. Archived from the original on August 5, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  16. ^ a b Sung, Morgan (August 4, 2023). "Twitch streamer's PS5 giveaway sparks Union Square 'riot'". TechCrunch. Archived from the original on November 14, 2023. Retrieved November 30, 2023.
  17. ^ Zwiezen, Zack (August 4, 2023). "Chaos: Twitch Star Kai Cenat Pulls Thousands Of Fans Into NYC Streets". Kotaku. Archived from the original on August 6, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  18. ^ a b "Twitch streamer Kai Cenat in custody after Union Square Park giveaway turns violent". FOX5 New York. August 4, 2023. Archived from the original on August 4, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  19. ^ a b Houlis, Katie (August 4, 2023). "NYPD officers "attacked, crushed, pushed" during chaotic Union Square giveaway". CBS News. Archived from the original on August 5, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  20. ^ Price, Brian; Shea, Tom (August 4, 2023). "Twitch streamer's giveaway event sparks chaos in Manhattan; police disperse thousands". NBC News. Archived from the original on August 4, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  21. ^ Ax, Joseph; Singh, Kanishka (August 4, 2023). "New York park erupts in chaos as live streamer's giveaway goes awry". Reuters. Archived from the original on August 4, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  22. ^ Drenon, Brandon (August 5, 2023). "Kai Cenat: Police charge Twitch streamer after PS5 giveaway mayhem". BBC News. Archived from the original on September 9, 2023. Retrieved December 5, 2023.
  23. ^ Breen, Virginia (June 5, 2020). "The American Academy of Ophthalmology seeks to end cops' use of chemical crowd-control agents and rubber bullets amid protests of George Floyd's death". THE CITY - NYC News. Archived from the original on November 30, 2023. Retrieved November 28, 2023.
  24. ^ a b c Rosenzweig-Ziff, Dan; Park, Gene (August 4, 2023). "Twitch streamer Kai Cenat's giveaway draws chaotic crowd to NYC streets". The Washington Post. Archived from the original on August 5, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  25. ^ a b c d "Twitch streamer's giveaway sparks mayhem in Union Square". ABC7NY. August 4, 2023. Archived from the original on August 4, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  26. ^ Tapp, Tom (August 4, 2023). "Riot At Union Square After Twitch Streamer's Event Turns Into Melee With People Throwing Rocks & Bottles, Carrying Axes, Tossing Fireworks At Police". Deadline Hollywood. Archived from the original on August 5, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  27. ^ "YouTuber Kai Cenat in custody after game console giveaway sparks chaos in New York". Sky News. August 4, 2023. Archived from the original on August 4, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  28. ^ a b Rosa Marcius, Chelsea; Cramer, Maria (August 8, 2023). "How New York Lost and Regained Control of Union Square". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 8, 2023. Retrieved August 8, 2023.
  29. ^ Drenon, Brandon (August 4, 2023). "Twitch streamer Kai Cenat's 'giveaway' sparks chaos in Manhattan". BBC News. Archived from the original on August 4, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  30. ^ Zanger, Jesse; Gainer, Alice (August 5, 2023). "Livestreamer Kai Cenat faces multiple charges after chaos erupts at Manhattan's Union Square during giveaway". CBS New York. Archived from the original on August 4, 2023. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  31. ^ a b Katersky, Aaron; Shapiro, Emily; Deliso, Meredith (August 4, 2023). "Chaos erupts in New York City's Union Square after promise of free PlayStations". ABC News. Archived from the original on August 5, 2023. Retrieved August 4, 2023.
  32. ^ Malone Kircher, Madison (August 7, 2023). "A Twitch Streamer's Giveaway Caused Mayhem in New York". The New York Times. Archived from the original on August 7, 2023. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  33. ^ Gach, Ethan (August 10, 2023). "Twitch Star Kai Cenat Breaks Silence On PS5 Giveaway That Led To Riot". Kotaku. Archived from the original on August 10, 2023. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  34. ^ a b Caina Calvan, Bobby (August 5, 2023). "Social media influencer Kai Cenat faces charges of inciting riot after thousands cause mayhem in NYC". Associated Press. Archived from the original on August 6, 2023. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  35. ^ Thornton, Claire (August 5, 2023). "Kai Cenat will face charges of inciting a riot after chaotic New York giveaway, NYPD says". USA Today. Archived from the original on August 6, 2023. Retrieved August 6, 2023.
  36. ^ Spangler, Todd (August 5, 2023). "Twitch Influencer Kai Cenat's AMP Group Apologizes After Union Square Park Riot: 'We Do Not Condone That Behavior'". Variety. Archived from the original on August 6, 2023. Retrieved August 5, 2023.
  37. ^ Peters, Jay (August 10, 2023). "Kai Cenat goes live on Twitch for the first time after Union Square 'riot'". The Verge. Archived from the original on August 10, 2023. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  38. ^ Anderson, Nic; Costa, João (August 10, 2023). "Kai Cenat condemns NYC Union Square melee, says 'it was not my intention'". CNN. Archived from the original on August 10, 2023. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
  39. ^ Spangler, Todd (August 25, 2023). "Talent Firm That Reps MrBeast Adds Twitch Streamer Kai Cenat to Roster". Variety. Archived from the original on December 18, 2023. Retrieved December 19, 2023.
  40. ^ López Restrepo, Manuela (August 7, 2023). "Influencer Kai Cenat announced a giveaway in New York. Chaos ensued". NPR. Archived from the original on August 8, 2023. Retrieved August 7, 2023.
  41. ^ a b Bedingfield, Will (August 9, 2023). "The Twitch-Fueled Catastrophe of Kai Cenat's New York City Giveaway". Wired. Archived from the original on August 9, 2023. Retrieved August 10, 2023.
source: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/2023_Union_Square_riot