It all started on Friday, August 4, with a plea on Instagram from 21-year-old streamer Kai Cenat to meet him in the afternoon in lower Manhattan for a distribution, broadcast live on social media, of gifts. , including computers or PlayStations 5 game consoles.

Thousands of young people – at least 2,000 according to American television – then gathered very quickly in the Union Square district, in the south of the island of Manhattan, in the hope of seeing the African-American star who has millions of followers on its platforms and social accounts.

Suddenly young men started throwing projectiles from a nearby construction site, targeting other people and the police, who were quickly deployed in large numbers. Televisions showed individuals surrounding and blocking vehicles and climbing onto the roof of a black SUV.

” Out of control “

“I’ve personally seen young people walking around bleeding from the head and face, I’ve seen young people with panic attacks, anxiety attacks and asthma (…) It was out of control,” said said New York City Police Chief Jeffrey Maddrey during a very brief press briefing in the neighborhood. He also said a city bus full of people was attacked and police were sent to protect it. “We’ve encountered things like this before, but never at this level of danger,” he said. Three officers were injured, including a sergeant who broke his hand.

“It took us a while to regain control and a lot of young people were injured,” including a teenager by the explosion of fireworks, the police officer lamented. At the end of the day, a thousand police officers had managed to disperse the gathering. Officers arrested 65 people, including 30 minors.

Mr Maddrey said Kai Cenat was taken for questioning at a police station. Police plan to charge the streamer with multiple counts, including “inciting a riot”, “unlawful assembly”, he said.

Kai Cenat regularly broadcasts live videos on the Twitch platform, where 6.5 million people follow him. He also has 4 million subscribers on YouTube, where he posts vlogs – video blogs – of everyday life. His 299 YouTube videos have amassed over 276 million views. In December, he was crowned Streamer of the Year at the 12th Annual Streamy Awards.

The streamer exfiltrated by the police

On his Instagram feed, the influencer had promised to distribute gifts at 4 p.m. (10 p.m. Paris time) in a Union Square park. People started lining up as early as 1:30 p.m. By 3 p.m., the crowd had grown and started to stir. 19-year-old Skylark Jones came to see friend Kai Cenat to try and get a present. When they arrived, the place was already crowded, bottles were flying, they explained. There was a stir even before Kai Cenat appeared, they added. Police “came with riot shields, charging at people,” Jones said.

Broadcasting live on Twitch from a vehicle as the event gathered momentum, Kai Cenat showed off the gift cards he planned to give away. Noting the crowd and the police presence, he urged, “Everyone out there, make sure you are all safe. … We’re not going to do anything until it’s safe. »

Eventually, he and his entourage exited the vehicle and entered the park, where the social media star was surrounded by a cheering crowd. Mr. Maddrey said Kai Cenat was removed “for his safety” by the police.

“We’re not against young people having fun, we’re not against young people coming together,” the New York police chief said. But it can’t be at this level where it’s dangerous. Many people were injured today. »