YouTube star taken into custody after thousands mob PS5 giveaway and descend into violence on New York streets
4 August 2023, 23:11 | Updated: 4 August 2023, 23:13
A YouTube star has been taken into custody in the US after a crowd of thousands descended on Manhattan then broke down into violence at one of his events.
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Kai Cenat, who also broadcasts on streaming service Twitch, had organised a game console giveaway in which he was expected to hand out PlayStation 5s.
But about 2,000 fans turned up at the event in Union Square before it became chaotic as people punched others, threw objects and clambered on top of a car.
A bus was attacked as people hit the side of it and tried to drag riders off it.
An SUV was filmed being surrounded by a massive mob as it gradually reversed. Men stood out of its sun roof and reached out to the crowd as the roads became jammed with people.
Here’s a Birds Eye View of the Kai Cenat and Fanum NYC Meet and Greet🤯🤯 pic.twitter.com/ES4HT8FWzO
— Domain ➐ (@domainsdomain) August 4, 2023
Police in New York arrested disruptors in the mob as more than 1,000 officers swept in. They issued a "level four" response, its highest disaster rating.
Residents were told to stay clear of the area as police broke up the crowd. They warned on megaphones that it was an unlawful gathering.
Officers were hurt while police said some in the crowd were seen with bloodied heads.
An officer in an NYPD press conference said "they were hurting each other" and "would not listen" to police, and that this showed the power of social media.
A man was filmed being hauled over a group of police officers in handcuffs.
Cenat, 21, has garnered more than 200 million views on his YouTube videos.
He announced a "huge giveaway" which would also see him hand out computers, microphones, gaming chairs and headphones.
"I feel like New York really deserves it," he said, adding that anyone hoping for a freebie would have to answer "random questions" about YouTube and streaming.
He livestreamed part of the giveaway in which he compared the chaos to a war.
Cenat posted an image of the crowd taken from US news cameras from the air on his Instagram.
