New York City police are struggling to control a massive crowd that gathered in Manhattan’s Union Square for an internet personality’s supposed videogame console giveaway that spiraled out of control.
Aerial TV news footage on Friday showed a tightly packed crowd climbing on vehicles, throwing chairs, exchanging punches, and climbing structures in the park. Shouting teenagers were seen hitting car windows with objects and running through the streets.
Traffic on multiple streets was blocked by the crowd. More and more police officers were visible, attempting to manage the gathering. Some individuals climbed on top of a moving vehicle, falling off as it sped away. Others struck the side of a city bus. People were also seen jumping up and down on top of another bus.
The NYPD did not have immediate information about injuries or arrests. Numerous individuals were observed sitting on the sidewalks with their hands restrained. A young man in handcuffs was escorted away by two officers. Police formed lines in the street, attempting to direct the crowd, which occasionally broke into a sprint.
On his Instagram feed, streamer Kai Cenat had an image promoting a giveaway in the park at 4 p.m. on Friday. Some young people leaving the park mentioned that they had come expecting to receive a computer for livestreaming and a new PlayStation.
A 19-year-old named Skylark Jones and a friend came to the area to see Cenat and try to get something from his giveaway, which they said included gaming consoles and even a gaming chair, as well as the opportunity to meet the popular streamer.
When they arrived, the scene was already packed, and they witnessed bottles being thrown by people in the crowd. There was commotion even before Cenat appeared, according to them.
“It was like a movie,” Jones said. “Police came charging at people with riot shields.”
A young man named Angel, who had been there since 11:30 a.m., said that at one point, the park was so crowded that he feared he couldn’t breathe, so he moved toward the outskirts.
Cenat, 21, is a video creator with 6.5 million followers on the platform Twitch, where he frequently livestreams. He also has 4 million subscribers on YouTube, where he uploads daily life and comedy vlogs. His videos on YouTube have accumulated over 276 million views. In December, he was named streamer of the year at the 12th annual Streamy Awards. Messages sent to his publicist, management company, and business inquiries email address were not immediately returned.
Police, some armed with batons, were employing metal barricades to push the crowd back and using loudspeakers to warn them, “This gathering is illegal. You are ordered to disperse.”
___
Associated Press writers Brooke Lansdale, Mallika Sen, Deepti Hajela, Mallika Sen, and Karen Matthews contributed to this report.