Social Media Influencer Kai Cenat Faces Charges of Inciting Riot After Thousands Cause Mayhem in NYC

Summary:

• Social media influencer Kai Senat faces charges of inciting riot after promising to give away free playstations, leading to chaos and property damage in NYC.
• Thousands of people showed up at Manhattan's Union Square expecting the promised playstations, but the situation turned violent when the gifts never materialized.
• Mayor Eric Adams blames outside agitators for inflaming the situation, and the NYPD arrests more than 60 people in response to the riot.
• The incident could have been avoided if proper communication had taken place with the authorities ahead of the event.

Twitch streamer who unleashed chaos on the streets of New York City yesterday is now facing charges. Kai Senat promised to give away free playstations. Thousands of people showed up, but when those playstations never materialized, a riot broke out resulting in property damage, injuries and arrests. Now Senat is facing charges. We get the latest now from ABC's Rena Roy.

Charges Filed Against Kai Senat

Tonight, hours after violent pandemonium, Social media influencer, Kai Senat, hit with three charges, felony riot causing public injury or damage, inciting a riot and unlawful assembly. Thousands rushing to Manhattan's Union Square creating chaos.

The Promise of Free PlayStation 5s

Well, a hundred dollar gift cards, all here, bro. We're gonna go crazy for a charge, man. After Senat told his millions of followers on live streaming platform Twitch Friday that he would give away video game consoles and gift cards. Children cannot get their values, their beliefs from social media. Today, New York City Mayor Eric Adams saying he believes outside agitators inflame the situation. You don't come to get free game boys and bring smoke bombs. We have fire extinguishers and teams being thrown by the crowd.

Chaos and Destruction Unleashed

People also hurling bottles, climbing onto subway entrances and statues, jumping on cars and setting off fireworks. Some even hanging onto this SUV, several falling off. This Uber driver's window completely smashed. He says police pulled him out of the car. They said leave everything out of here, otherwise they're gonna kill someone here today. The NYPD says some officers were crushed, pushed and hit with objects, dressed in riot gear as they struggled to control the massive crowd. Authorities arresting more than 60 people.

Could It Have Been Avoided?

An NYPD official tells us that they do believe Senat was planning on handing out a few PlayStation 5s. And police say a lot of this could have been avoided if he had just contacted them ahead of time. We've reached out to his team for comment. We haven't heard back yet. Rena Roy, ABC News, New York.

The incident highlights the potential dangers of social media influencers making grand promises without proper consideration of the consequences. The fallout from this event will undoubtedly spark discussions about online responsibility and the influence of social media on people's behavior.