NEW YORK (AP) — Social media influencer Kai Cenat is facing charges of inciting a riot and promoting an illegal gathering in New York City, after the online video creator drew thousands of his followers, many of them they teenagers, with the promise of giving away electronic devices, including a new PlayStation console.
The event caused chaos and dozens of people were arrested, some of whom were jumping on vehicles, throwing bottles and throwing punches.
Cenat was released from police custody early Saturday after receiving a violation citation, which police issue to require a suspect to appear in court to answer charges. A police spokesman said he is due to appear in court on August 18.
Images captured from the air by television news showed crowds running through the streets, scaling structures in the park and blocking traffic. Teenagers were screaming and throwing objects through car windows. Some people got into a moving vehicle and fell as it drove away. Others struck the side of a city bus. People were also seen getting on another bus and jumping.
Friday’s riot in New York City’s Union Square put further focus on the control social media influencers have over the people who follow and fawn over them.
“Our children cannot be raised by social media,” Mayor Eric Adams said Saturday during a news conference on an unrelated crime.
Police reported that they arrested 65 people, including 30 minors. Several people were injured, some even with bloody faces. At least four people were taken away in ambulances.
“I don’t think people realize the level of discipline we show to take a very dangerous and volatile situation and get it to a level of resolution without loss of life or substantial damage to property, and without youth becoming involved. hurt themselves,” Adams said.
Cenat, 21, is a video creator with 6.5 million followers on the Twitch platform, where he often broadcasts live. He also has 4 million subscribers on YouTube, where he posts comedy and everyday life videos ranging from “Fake Hibachi Chef Prank!” (Fake chef Habichi joke!) Even his most recent video, “I Rented Us Girlfriends In Japan!” (I rented us girlfriends in Japan!”
His 299 YouTube videos have amassed more than 276 million views. In December, he was crowned streamer of the year at the 12th annual Streamy Awards.
On his Instagram feed, the streamer posted an image promoting a contest to be held at 4:00 p.m. Friday in the park. Some young people who came to the place said that they had been waiting for the raffle for a computer and a new PlayStation.
In a live stream on Twitch from a vehicle as the event grew in scale, Cenat showed off gift cards he planned to hand out. Noting the size of the crowd and the police presence, he asked “everyone out there, make sure you’re safe… We’re not going to do anything until it’s safe.” Eventually, he and a group of others exited the vehicle and made their way through the milling crowd, across a street and into the park before the broadcast was interrupted.
Press representatives from the AMP agency, which represents Cenat and a small group of other influencers, said in an email on Saturday that the event in Union Square was intended to show appreciation to fans.
“We have organized meetings with supporters and video recordings before, but we have never experienced anything of the dimensions of what happened yesterday,” AMP said.
“We recognize that our audience and influence is growing, and that with that comes greater responsibility,” the statement said. “We are deeply discouraged by the disorderly conduct that affected innocent people and businesses, and we do not condone this behavior.”
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2023-08-06 00:36:08
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