IN POINTS | Kai Cenat's epic PS5 giveaway turns Manhattan into frenzy

PTC News Desk: Kai Cenat, a US influencer and gamer, was arrested and charged with inciting a riot and unlawful assembly after announcing a PlayStation 5 giveaway, which drew thousands to Union Square Park in New York City on Friday.

IN POINTS

1. A crowd of almost 2,000 gathered at Union Square Park in anticipation of celebrity Twitch streamer Kai Cenat's offer of free PlayStation 5 devices.

2. According to police, the influencer was among those detained

3. People hurled fireworks, bottles and toppled barricades.

4. People began gathering at 13:00 local time (17:00 GMT) after Cenat announced on social media that he would be handing out 300 PlayStations.

5. Hundreds of people had gathered on the streets surrounding one of New York City's biggest train stops before 15:00.

6. They climbed cars and the roof of the train station entrance, hurling bottles at responding police officers.

7. The New York Police Department declared a "level four" mobilisation, which meant that around 1,000 policemen were dispatched to the location.

8. Cenat stated on a live stream from inside a vehicle near Union Square as the chaos unfolded: "They're throwing tear gas out there."

9. Cenat was taken into custody by police at about 17:00. After approximately an hour, the crowd was dispersed.

10. Cenat, according to a CBS affiliate, did not have a permit for the event, which was allegedly a collaboration with Bronx YouTube star Fanum.

11. "We have encountered things like this before," said NYPD Chief of Department Jeffrey Maddrey, "but never to this level of dangerousness, where young people would not listen to our commands."

"You had people walking around with shovels, axes, and other construction tools," he added.

"In addition, people were setting off fireworks. They were throwing them at police officers as well as at each other."

Who is Kai Cenat?

- Kai Cenat, a US influencer and gamer, has a sizable following on social media. The 21-year-old has over 5.5 million Instagram followers, over 4 million on YouTube, and 6.5 million on Twitch.

- Cenat started uploading videos on YouTube in December 2012, pulling pranks and documenting his daily life.

- He actively interacts with his followers through Twitch live streams.

- Cenat revealed during a live stream on Wednesday that he will be throwing a giveaway of items such as PlayStation 5, keyboards, microphones, gaming chairs, headphones, and computers.

- Kai Cenat was named to Rolling Stone's list of the 20 Most Influential Creators of 2023. In 2022 and 2023, he was named Streamer of the Year. The award was created by a Twitch streamer known on the platform as QTCinderella.

- On February 1 of this year, Cenat began a Twitch "subathon" in which he streamed for 24 hours a day, playing games, conversing, interviewing guests, and even sleeping. According to the BBC, he broke the record for most Twitch subscribers in March.

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