Social media influencer Kai Cenat is facing charges of inciting a riot and promoting an unlawful gathering in New York City, after the online streamer drew thousands of his followers, many of them teenagers, with promises of giving away electronics, including a new PlayStation.
The event led to chaos, with dozens of people arrested – some of whom jumped on top of vehicles, hurled bottles and threw punches.
Cenat was released early on Saturday from police custody after being issued a desk appearance ticket, which is issued by police to require a suspect to appear in court to answer charges.
A police spokesperson said Cenat is to appear in court on August 18th.
The mayhem in New York City’s Union Square on Friday afternoon put further focus on the hold social media influencers have on the people who follow them.
During a press briefing on an unrelated crime, New York City mayor Eric Adams said: “Our children cannot be raised by social media.”
Police said they arrested 65 people, including 30 juveniles. Several people were injured, including some with bloodied faces. At least four people were taken away in ambulances.
Mr Adams added: “I don’t think people realize the level of discipline that we showed to take a very dangerous, volatile situation and to be able to bring it to a level of resolve without any loss of life or any substantial damage to property and without young people harming themselves.”
Cenat (21) is a video creator with 6.5 million followers on the platform Twitch, where he regularly livestreams.
He also boasts four million subscribers on YouTube, where he posts daily life and comedy vlogs ranging from: “Fake Hibachi Chef Prank!” to his most recent video: “I Rented Us Girlfriends In Japan!”
His 299 YouTube videos have amassed more than 276 million views among them.
In December, he was crowned streamer of the year at the 12th annual Streamy Awards.
Livestreaming on Twitch from a vehicle as the event gathered steam, Cenat displayed gift cards he planned to give away.
Noting the crowd and police presence, he urged: “Everybody who’s out there, make sure y’all safe. … We’re not gonna do nothin’ until it’s safe.”
Eventually, he and an entourage got out of the vehicle and hustled through a crowd, crossed a street and went into the park, where Cenat was surrounded by a cheering, shoving mob.
Chief Jeffrey Maddrey of the New York Police Department said Cenat at some point in the afternoon was removed “for his safety” and police were in contact with him.
Videos posted on social media and taken from news helicopters showed Cenat being lifted over a fence and out of the crowd and then placed in a police vehicle.
Aerial TV news footage showed a surging, tightly packed crowd running through the streets, scaling structures in the park and snarling traffic.
Shouting teenagers swung objects at car windows, threw paint cans and set off fire extinguishers. Some people climbed onto a moving vehicle, falling off as it sped away. Others pounded on or climbed atop city buses.
Three officers were hurt, Mr Maddrey said.
