Popular Twitch streamer and content creator Kai Cenat will not face prosecution for the giveaway-turned-riot he sparked in Union Square Park last summer, as Manhattan District Attorney Alvin Bragg announced that the charges against Cenat have been dropped. Cenat, who has over 10 million followers on Instagram, Twitch, and TikTok, had organized a PS5 console giveaway in the park without a permit, which led to chaos and violence as a massive crowd of young fans gathered for the event.
The fans at the giveaway turned destructive and violent, engaging in brawls, smashing car windows, throwing rocks and fireworks, and assaulting police officers. Videos from the event showed the rioters tossing objects at each other, innocent bystanders, and responding officers. In response to the mayhem, 65 people, including 30 juveniles, were arrested following nearly three hours of chaos. Cenat was initially facing charges of inciting a riot and unlawful assembly but had the charges dropped after he issued a public apology and contributed towards paying for the damages caused.
Cenat, along with two others, Denzel Dennis and Muktar Din, paid a combined total of over $57,000 for the damages and clean-up costs associated with the riot. Cenat alone paid $55,000 to the Union Square Partnership, Inc. as part of his contribution towards rectifying the situation. Additionally, Cenat posted a public apology on Snapchat, acknowledging the dangerous situation he had created through the promotion and advertising of the PS5 giveaway in Union Square Park.
In his public apology, Cenat expressed regret for the disruption and damage caused to the community, the park, vehicles, and storefronts in the area. He stated that it was never his intention for the event to spiral out of control and acknowledged the power of social media in both positive and negative situations. The case against him will be officially dismissed once the public apology has been on social media for a full 24 hours, as per the directive from Bragg’s office.
Cenat reflected on the valuable lesson he had learned regarding the responsible use of social media, highlighting its potential to do good while also recognizing the potential for it to lead to dangerous and unwanted situations if not utilized properly. Through his apology and financial contribution towards the damages caused by the giveaway-turned-riot, Cenat has taken responsibility for his actions and sought to make amends for the negative impact of the event. Ultimately, the decision to drop the charges against Cenat signifies a resolution to the legal consequences of the incident, allowing him to move forward from the controversy.
